Photo: BonkerStonker29 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Champaign is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns
Champaign differs from Illinois on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Champaign. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Champaign
Champaign is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Champaign is healthier than 73%. Against the 7,760 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 96%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Champaign
1 in 8 adults lack reliable transportation (12.9%), vs 8% across Illinois. Food insecurity (22.3% vs 15.9%) and utility shut-off threats (10.6% vs 7.8%) are higher too. 21.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mental distress runs high in Champaign
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (19.4%), vs 15.6% across Illinois. Depression is above the state too: 23.3%, vs 19.8% across Illinois. Mind & connection ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Champaign
Champaign runs below Illinois on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (4.8% vs 7.6%), heart disease (3.9% vs 5.9%) and stroke (2.2% vs 3.3%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (Illinois 17%). Conditions ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Illinois figure falls outside Champaign’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Champaign’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Champaign is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, #301 of 767 in Illinois. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 14%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Champaign’s median household income is $56,118; among the 7,760 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 96%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
21.2% of Champaign adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
How Champaign adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Champaign runs above Illinois.
2 in 5 Champaign adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Out of every 100 Champaign adults…
Champaign runs below IL on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Champaign residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Illinois. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Champaign
2 community health centers in Champaign, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Champaign; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
5.1 miles of trails across 55 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Champaign adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Champaign and the towns around it
Champaign’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 8 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign | B+ | 31.2% | 8.2% | 11.6% | CDC place |
| Champaign City Township | A− | 31.4% | 9.3% | 11% | ZIP codes |
| Champaign Township | A | 30.1% | 9.8% | 9.8% | ZIP codes |
| Hensley Township | A | 30.2% | 9.8% | 9.7% | ZIP 61822 |
| Cunningham Township | B+ | 32.4% | 10.1% | 11.9% | ZIP codes |
| Urbana | A− | 30.6% | 8.4% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Urbana Township | B+ | 33.7% | 11.6% | 12.3% | ZIP codes |
| Somer Township | — | — | — | — |
Somer Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Champaign adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Champaign
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Champaign is better than Illinois on 8 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Champaign’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Champaign | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.6%16.3–21.2 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.1%9.7–12.6 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.3–21.8 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.2%24.9–38.1 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.2%7.1–9.5 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25.8%22.5–29.4 | 33% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29.2%25.7–33.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 17.3%15.1–19.6 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.2–11.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.8%4.4–5.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.9%4.4–5.6 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.2%2.1–2.4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.1%9.8–14.8 | 10.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.6%10–13.5 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.1%18.6–26.2 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.5%15.4–22.1 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36%29.6–42.6 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.2%7.9–10.6 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.2%69.2–77.3 | 77.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.6%53.7–61.3 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.4%74.9–79.8 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 65.5%62.8–68.4 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.3%58–68.5 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.4%67.3–82.4 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.3%19.9–27 | 19.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 37.7%32.2–43 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.1%23.2–31 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.3%19.6–24.9 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.3%13.2–17.3 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.6%9.2–12 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.9%11.4–14.3 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.2%18.8–23.7 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.5%24.7–32.7 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.3%8.1–10.6 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%14.5–18.3 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.6–10.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Illinois figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Champaign
Is Champaign a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Champaign is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #301 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Champaign?
CDC estimates 31.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.9% and 38.1%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Champaign?
Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, 3.2 miles in a straight line from Champaign’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Champaign have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.9–10.6%), against 9.9% across Illinois.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Champaign more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Champaign.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Illinois figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.