On CDC estimates, Gardner is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns
Gardner trails Illinois on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gardner. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gardner
Smoking is more common in Gardner
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.1%), vs 12.1% across Illinois. Habits ↓
COPD and heart disease run high in Gardner
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.2%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (6.9%), vs 5.9% across Illinois. Conditions ↓
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 Gardner’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Gardner’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gardner is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 56% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 33%).
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). Gardner’s median household income is $88,092; among the 10,155 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($66K–$110K), it’s healthier than 30%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
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.
Out of every 100 Gardner adults…
Gardner runs above IL on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Gardner residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Illinois. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Gardner
No hospital or community health center in Gardner 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 Gardner; ≈ 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 Gardner adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Gardner adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Gardner 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.
13.9% of Gardner adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Gardner and the towns around it
Gardner’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gardner | C+ | 38% | 11.7% | 16.1% | CDC place |
| Greenfield Township | C+ | 38.1% | 12% | 16% | ZIP codes |
| Garfield Township | C+ | 38.2% | 11.8% | 16.1% | ZIP 60424 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gardner adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gardner
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gardner is better than Illinois on 0 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Gardner’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gardner | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.9%16.7–23.6 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.2–16.4 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%15.6–20.5 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38%29.5–47 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.7%10–13.6 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.2%30.9–39.7 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.9%32.3–41.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.5%24–31.2 | 24.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.2–12 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.6%7.7–9.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6–7.9 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.2%6.9–9.7 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18%14.5–22.2 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.1%13.1–19.4 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.4%20.5–30.8 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.6%16–23.6 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.9%28.9–43.8 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%6.8–10.6 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.3%73.3–81.2 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.4%56.2–64.7 | 63.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.6%83.4–87.7 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.2%72.7–79.1 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.6%54.5–66.7 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 66%56.3–75.3 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%19.4–27.2 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.2%28–38.9 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.9%20.8–29.2 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.7%11.8–18.1 | 15.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.8%9.7–14.2 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.5%6.2–8.8 | 7.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.7%6.5–9 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.9%11.1–17.2 | 13.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31%26.1–36.2 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%11.9–16.8 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%12.4–16.9 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.5–8.5 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.2–5.6 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.4–10 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.3–4.5 | 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 Gardner
Is Gardner a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gardner is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 30%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gardner?
CDC estimates 38% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 47%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gardner?
Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers in Morris, 13.5 miles in a straight line from Gardner’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gardner have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–10.6%), 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 Gardner more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gardner.
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.