Photo: jrmyers · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Charleston is healthier than 90%
Charleston differs from Illinois on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Charleston. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Charleston
Mental distress runs high in Charleston
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.4%), vs 15.6% across Illinois. Depression is above the state too: 24.9%, vs 19.8% across Illinois. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Charleston
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19.1%), vs 15.9% across Illinois. No reliable transportation (11% vs 8%) and utility shut-off threats (9.7% vs 7.8%) are higher too. 19.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Charleston is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Charleston is healthier than 52%. Against the 5,523 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 90%. Health Grade ↓
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 Charleston’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Charleston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Charleston is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, #476 of 767 in Illinois. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 83% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Charleston’s median household income is $49,300; among the 5,523 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 90%, more than its income alone would suggest.
How Charleston adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Charleston runs above Illinois.
4 in 10 Charleston 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.6% of Charleston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Out of every 100 Charleston adults…
Charleston runs below IL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Charleston
1 community health center in Charleston, 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 Charleston; ≈ 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.
3.3 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Charleston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Charleston and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | B− | 37.5% | 9.8% | 14.2% | CDC place |
| Hutton Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Charleston Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Mattoon | C− | 40.2% | 13.5% | 17.5% | CDC place |
Hutton Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Charleston Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Charleston adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Charleston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Charleston is better than Illinois on 1 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Charleston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Charleston | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%17.3–22.9 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.4–14.9 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.4%18–23 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.5%28.9–46.4 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.8%8.3–11.3 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.3%26.3–34.6 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.2%27–35.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.2%20.2–26.2 | 24.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.7–12.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.9%6.2–7.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.1–6.4 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.2%6.3–8.2 | 6.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.2%9.8–14.9 | 10.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%12–16.5 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.3%19.9–29.2 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.7%15.1–22.5 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.8%30.7–45 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.2%7.8–11 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.6%71.2–79.6 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.5%53.7–61.4 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.3%77.7–82.8 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.9%67.8–73.6 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.3%57.9–68.4 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.6%61.9–78.7 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.9%20.8–29.1 | 19.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 36.9%31.4–42.4 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25%21.2–28.8 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.1%16.4–21.9 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.2%12.3–16.3 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.7%8.4–11.1 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11%9.7–12.5 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.6%16.9–22.5 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33%28.4–38.1 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.9%11.1–14.7 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.1%15.1–19.4 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%5–6.2 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.2%9.1–11.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Charleston
Is Charleston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Charleston is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #476 of 767 in Illinois. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Charleston?
CDC estimates 37.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.9% and 46.4%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Charleston?
Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon, 5.2 miles in a straight line from Charleston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Charleston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–11%), 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 Charleston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Charleston.
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.