Transfer House · Photo: Ander107 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Decatur is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns
Decatur trails Illinois on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Decatur. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Decatur
COPD, stroke and obesity run high in Decatur
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.4%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 22 adults have had a stroke (4.5%), vs 3.3% across Illinois. Obesity is also above the state: 44.4%, vs 34% across Illinois. In all, Decatur runs above Illinois on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Decatur
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (22.1%), vs 15.9% across Illinois. Utility shut-off threats (12.1% vs 7.8%) and no reliable transportation (11.3% vs 8%) are higher too. 23.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Decatur
56.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.4% across Illinois. Among those 65 and older, 17.2% have lost all their teeth (Illinois 10.3%). Checkups ↓
Health varies a lot right around Decatur
Grades next door run from Forsyth (A) to Decatur Township (C−). Decatur is a C−. Around town ↓
Decatur is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Decatur is healthier than 17%. Against the 6,330 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$64K), it’s healthier than 37%. 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 Decatur’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Decatur’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Decatur is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns, #723 of 767 in Illinois. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 30% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Decatur’s median household income is $51,592; among the 6,330 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$64K), it’s healthier than 37%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Decatur adults…
Decatur runs above IL on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
23.8% of Decatur adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Keeping up with care
Share of Decatur adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Decatur and the towns around it
Decatur’s Health Grade ranks 9th of 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | C− | 44.4% | 14.5% | 17.2% | CDC place |
| Forsyth | A | 34.9% | 10.8% | 9.2% | CDC place |
| Mount Zion | A− | 37.2% | 9.6% | 11.7% | CDC place |
| Oakley Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Whitmore Township | B− | 40.5% | 12.6% | 14.5% | ZIP codes |
| Harristown | B | 38.7% | 11.4% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| South Wheatland Township | B− | 40.9% | 12.6% | 14.6% | ZIP codes |
| Decatur Township | C− | 43.8% | 14.2% | 16.8% | ZIP codes |
Oakley Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Decatur
2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Decatur, 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 Decatur; ≈ 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.
17 miles of trails across 52 parks and preserves
How Decatur adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Decatur runs above Illinois.
1 in 3 Decatur 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Decatur adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Decatur
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Decatur is better than Illinois on 0 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Decatur’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Decatur | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24%21.3–26.8 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.7–17.3 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.6–20.8 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 44.4%36.3–52.9 | 34% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.5%12.7–16.4 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.4%36.1–44.8 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.1%33.7–42.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.7%26.4–33.2 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.4%10.1–12.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.7–9.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.7%6.9–8.5 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.4%8.4–10.3 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4.2–4.8 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.2%14–20.6 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.2%15.1–19.5 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.7%24.3–33.3 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%12.7–18.7 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.6%32.8–46.8 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.5%8.2–10.8 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.1%75.4–82.5 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.7%52.5–60.5 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.4%83.7–87.1 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.7%74.9–80.3 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.7%57.2–68 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71%62.1–78.9 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.1%18.7–25.8 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.6%30.5–41.3 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.6%23.8–31.7 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.1%19.7–24.9 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.8%14.8–19.1 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.1%10.7–13.7 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.3%10.1–12.7 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 23.8%21.4–26.5 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35%30.7–39.4 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.7%15.7–19.9 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%14.3–17.8 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.8–8.6 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%6.2–7.3 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.8–12 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.8–5.6 | 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 Decatur
Is Decatur a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Decatur is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #723 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 37%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Decatur?
CDC estimates 44.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.3% and 52.9%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Decatur?
Decatur Memorial Hospital in Decatur, 1.6 miles in a straight line from Decatur’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Decatur have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.2–10.8%), 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 Decatur 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 Decatur.
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.