Photo: rboed* · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Galena is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns
Galena differs from Illinois on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Galena. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Galena
Galena is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Galena is healthier than 79%. Against the 8,565 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 97%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Galena
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.7%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (30.9%), vs 24.2% across Illinois. In all, Galena runs above Illinois on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (Illinois 17%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Galena adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Illinois. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Nearly everyone in Galena is insured
Only 6.6% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 9.9% across Illinois. Checkups ↓
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 Galena’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A+.
What’s behind Galena’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Galena is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns, #248 of 767 in Illinois. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 91% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 56%.
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). Galena’s median household income is $58,689; among the 8,565 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 97%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Galena adults…
Galena runs above IL on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Galena is an older town: 38% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Illinois. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Galena as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.8% of Galena adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Keeping up with care
Share of Galena adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Care in and near Galena
No hospital or community health center in Galena 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 Galena; ≈ 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.
4 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
How Galena adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Galena does better than Illinois.
3 in 10 Galena 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.
Galena and the towns around it
Galena has the best Health Grade of the 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galena | A− | 34.5% | 11.7% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| West Galena Township · East Galena Township | A− | 34.7% | 12.5% | 10.6% | ZIP 61036 |
| Rawlins Township | — | — | — | — |
Rawlins 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 Galena adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Galena
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Galena is better than Illinois on 9 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Galena’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Galena | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.3%13.2–19.4 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.3–14.3 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%11.7–15.8 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.5%26.7–43.2 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.7%9.8–13.9 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.7%33–42.5 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.6%34.8–44.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.9%27.1–34.9 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.4–11 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.7%10.5–13 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.3–8.6 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7%5.5–8.5 | 6.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.1–4.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.3%6.6–10.3 | 10.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.4%8–13.1 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.1%16.6–25.7 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%13.6–20 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.2%25.7–39.6 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.6%5.2–8.3 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.1%77.6–84.3 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.9%63.2–70.6 | 63.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.4%88.7–91.9 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.8%77.7–83.6 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%61.7–72.2 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.4%64.9–80.9 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.8%16.5–23.6 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%24.4–34.9 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%17.2–25 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.9%6.8–11.2 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.6%6–9.2 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.8%3.9–5.8 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.2%4.2–6.1 | 8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.8%5.7–10 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28%23.3–32.8 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.5%10.8–16.2 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.5%8.7–12.4 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7–9.6 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.3–4.7 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%5.5–8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.6–3.7 | 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 Galena
Is Galena a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Galena is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health, #248 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 97%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Galena?
CDC estimates 34.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.7% and 43.2%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Galena?
Midwest Medical Center in Galena, 2.7 miles in a straight line from Galena’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Galena have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–8.3%), 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 Galena 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 Galena.
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.