Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Christopher is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Christopher trails Illinois on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Christopher. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Christopher
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Christopher
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.5%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.5%), vs 5.9% across Illinois. Stroke is also above the state: 4.5%, vs 3.3% across Illinois. In all, Christopher runs above Illinois on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Illinois 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Christopher
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (18.1%), vs 12.1% across Illinois. Habits ↓
Depression is more common in Christopher
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (24.2%), vs 19.8% across Illinois. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.9%, vs 15.6% across Illinois. Mind & connection ↓
Christopher is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Christopher is healthier than 17%. Against the 5,106 towns with similar household incomes ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 46%. 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 Christopher’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B.
What’s behind Christopher’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Christopher is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, #718 of 767 in Illinois. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 34% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Christopher’s median household income is $48,247; among the 5,106 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Christopher adults…
Christopher runs above IL on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Christopher is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Illinois. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Christopher as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Christopher adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Christopher runs above Illinois.
1 in 3 Christopher 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.
Care in and near Christopher
1 community health center in Christopher, 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 Christopher; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Christopher adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.7% of Christopher adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Christopher and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher | C− | 41.9% | 13.8% | 18.1% | CDC place |
| North City | — | — | — | — |
North City: 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 Christopher adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Christopher
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Christopher is better than Illinois on 0 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Christopher’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Christopher | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.2%19.5–27.1 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%13.9–18.5 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.3–21.4 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.9%32.8–51 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.8%11.8–16 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 38.7%34.2–43.3 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38%33.2–42.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32%28.3–35.8 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.6–12.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.7%8.7–10.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.4–9.6 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.5%8.8–12.3 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%3.9–5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.6%13.4–20.1 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.1%14.6–21.6 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.9%22.7–33.3 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%13.9–20.6 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.6%31.6–46.6 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.5%6.4–10.9 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%74.7–82 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.6%54.5–62.9 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%82.9–87.4 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.2%75.1–80.9 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.2%52.9–65.2 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 64.4%54.9–74 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%20.2–28.4 | 19.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33.2%27.9–38.8 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%20.2–28.7 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.9%13.6–20.7 | 15.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.5%10.3–14.9 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.8%7.4–10.4 | 7.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9%7.6–10.6 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.7%15–22.9 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.7%30.5–40.8 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18%15.2–20.9 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.9%13.4–18.5 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%8–10.3 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.2–7 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%9–12.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.1–5.6 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Christopher
Is Christopher a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Christopher is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #718 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 46%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Christopher?
CDC estimates 41.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.8% and 51%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Christopher?
Franklin Hospital in Benton, 7.9 miles in a straight line from Christopher’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Christopher have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–10.9%), 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 Christopher more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Christopher.
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.