Photo: IvoShandor · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Fairbury is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns
Fairbury differs from Illinois on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fairbury. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fairbury
Fairbury is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fairbury is healthier than 65%. Against the 10,586 towns with similar household incomes ($53K–$89K), it’s healthier than 80%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Fairbury
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.6%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (30%), vs 24.2% across Illinois. In all, Fairbury runs above Illinois on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
The nearest ER is 20 miles from Fairbury
The closest emergency room is Gibson Community Hospital in Gibson City, 20 miles away in a straight line. Getting care ↓
Fewer Fairbury adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Illinois. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Fairbury’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Fairbury’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairbury is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, #386 of 767 in Illinois. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 66% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 57%.
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). Fairbury’s median household income is $70,962; among the 10,586 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$89K), it’s healthier than 80%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Illinois towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Fairbury is healthier than 50% of graded towns, against 65% nationally.
Out of every 100 Fairbury adults…
Fairbury runs above IL on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Fairbury
No hospital or community health center in Fairbury itself. These are the nearest.
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 Fairbury; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.3% of Fairbury adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fairbury adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Fairbury adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Fairbury 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.
Fairbury and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbury | B | 33.9% | 11.6% | 13.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fairbury adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fairbury
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fairbury is better than Illinois on 7 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Fairbury’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fairbury | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.3%14.8–21.7 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%11.4–15.8 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14–18.5 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.9%25.7–42.1 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.6%9.8–13.5 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.6%31.9–40.9 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.8%34–43.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30%26.2–33.6 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9–11.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.5–11.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.2–8.4 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.9%6.3–9.5 | 6.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.2–4.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.6%12.5–19.3 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%10.4–16.1 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.8%18.5–28.9 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.8%14.7–21.1 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7%25.8–39.9 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%5.6–9.5 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.2%75.5–82.4 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.2%63.3–70.7 | 63.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.9%85.8–89.8 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76.2–81.8 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.7%63–73.8 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.3%60.7–78.5 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.8%18.2–25.5 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.9%27.6–38.5 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.2%19.2–27.3 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.2%8.7–14 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.2%7.4–11.1 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%4.7–6.7 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.2%5.1–7.3 | 8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.3%7.9–13.1 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.9%25.7–35.8 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.8%11.8–17.6 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13%10.9–15.3 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7–9.4 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%3.7–5.3 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%6.7–9.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%2.9–4.2 | 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 Fairbury
Is Fairbury a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairbury is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #386 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 80%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fairbury?
CDC estimates 33.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.7% and 42.1%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fairbury?
Gibson Community Hospital in Gibson City, 20.0 miles in a straight line from Fairbury’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fairbury have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–9.5%), 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 Fairbury 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 Fairbury.
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.