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≈ CHealth Grade
Health in Jerome · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Jerome is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns

Jerome trails Illinois on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Jerome. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Jerome

COPD, heart disease and obesity run high in Jerome

1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.1%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.4%), vs 5.9% across Illinois. Obesity is also above the state: 42.1%, vs 34% across Illinois. In all, Jerome runs above Illinois on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Dental care lags in Jerome

54.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.4% across Illinois. Among those 65 and older, 18.4% have lost all their teeth (Illinois 10.3%). Checkups ↓

Smoking is more common in Jerome

1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.3%), vs 12.1% across Illinois. Habits ↓

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 Jerome’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.

Health Grade

What’s behind Jerome’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jerome is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 52% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 11%).

CSelf-rated health21.6% · IL 18.6% · U.S. 19.4%
C+Physical distress14.9% · IL 12.2% · U.S. 13%
CMental distress18.2% · IL 15.6% · U.S. 15.9%
DObesity42.1% · IL 34% · U.S. 32.9%
CDiabetes13.2% · IL 11.7% · U.S. 12%
C+Smoking16.3% smoke · IL 12.1% · U.S. 11.8%
B−Exercise25.4% · IL 23% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 30%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $49K–$81K (9,967)Healthier than 39%

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). Jerome’s median household income is $65,189; among the 9,967 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$81K), it’s healthier than 39%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Jerome could be anywhere from D to B+. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Jerome adults…

Jerome runs above IL on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

9 of every 100 Jerome adults have COPD
Illinois: 6 in 100 · worse · likely 7.5–10.8%
Better than ILWorseAbout the sameIllinois
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Jerome adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.

79%Yearly checkupIL 78%
54%Dentist visitIL 63%
86%Cholesterol checkIL 87%
62%Colon screeningIL 60%
70%MammogramIL 74%
77%Taking BP medsIL 76%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Jerome 8.6% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois

Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.

Get no exercise 25.4%IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hours 37.7%IL 35.4%
Binge drink 17.3%IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 16.3%IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Jerome, betterJerome, worseAbout the sameIllinois
Where Jerome gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Getting care

Care in and near Jerome

No hospital or community health center in Jerome itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERSt. Johns HospitalSpringfield · 3.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMemorial Medical Center★★★★★ · 4.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSouthern Illinois University School of MedicineSpringfield · 2.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.9 mi
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
5 sites · nearest in Springfield
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
3.1 mi
Central Counties Health Centers
3 sites · nearest in Springfield
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
3.3 mi
St. Johns Hospital
Springfield · ★★★★★
ER
4.3 mi
Memorial Medical Center
Springfield · ★★★★★
ER
25.2 mi
Taylorville Memorial Hospital
Taylorville · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
30.7 mi
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital
Lincoln · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Jerome itself
✓ Dental careJerome is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Jerome itself

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 Jerome; ≈ 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).

Mind & connection

How Jerome adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, Jerome runs above Illinois.

1 in 3Jerome adults feel lonely
33.6% · IL 33.5% · About the same as IL
1 in 4Jerome adults lack social or emotional support
24.1% · IL 25.4% · About the same as IL
1 in 4Jerome adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.1% · IL 19.8% · About the same as IL
1 in 5Jerome adults are in frequent mental distress
18.2% · IL 15.6% · Worse than IL
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Jerome adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6
Jerome adults worry about having enough food
17.2% · IL 15.9%
About the same as IL
1 in 7
Jerome adults worry about keeping their housing
13.4% · IL 13.2%
About the same as IL
1 in 11
Jerome adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.3% · IL 7.8%
About the same as IL
1 in 11
Jerome adults lack reliable transportation
9.1% · IL 8%
About the same as IL

18.4% of Jerome adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Around town

Jerome and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Woodside Township: 38.5%Capital Township: 40.2%Springfield: 41.1%Southern View: 41.9%Leland Grove: 34.9%Curran Township: 36.1%Chatham: 35.2%Rochester Township: 35.8%Jerome: 42.1%JeromeWoodside TownshipSt. Johns Hospital · Springfield · 3.3 mi · 2★ MedicareHMemorial Medical Center · Springfield · 4.3 mi · 3★ MedicareHSiu Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness · Springfield · 2.9 mi+Family Guidance Center · Springfield · 3.1 mi+
Healthier than ILNear ILLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#9 of 9 towns on this map, healthiest first
Woodside Township38.5%
Jerome42.1%
IL34%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
JeromeC42.1%13.2%16.3%CDC place
Woodside TownshipB+38.5%12%12.4%ZIP codes

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

32.7%

of Jerome adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.9%
Thinking or memory15%
Hearing7.7%
Errands alone9.7%
Vision5.7%
Dressing or bathing4.5%
Illinois

Every CDC estimate for Jerome

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Jerome is better than Illinois on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Jerome’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…JeromeILU.S.vs IL
Overall health
Fair or poor health21.6%18.2–25.118.6%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)14.9%12.8–1712.2%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)18.2%16–20.515.6%15.9%Worse
Conditions
Obesity42.1%34.3–49.934%32.9%Worse
Diabetes13.2%11.3–15.111.7%12%About the same
High blood pressure38%33.7–42.233%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)36.4%32.3–40.935.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis29.4%26–32.924.2%25.3%Worse
Asthma11.1%9.7–12.59.9%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer8.8%7.9–9.87.6%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease7.4%6.4–8.45.9%6.4%Worse
COPD9.1%7.5–10.86.3%6.3%Worse
Stroke4%3.5–4.53.3%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)18.4%15–22.110.3%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes16.3%13.2–19.612.1%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work25.4%20.8–30.323%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking17.3%14.3–20.717.8%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours37.7%31.1–45.135.4%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)8.6%6.5–10.89.9%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year78.5%75–81.977.8%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year54.3%50.3–58.463.4%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years85.8%83.6–87.987.4%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)76.7%73.8–79.575.7%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)62.4%57–67.860.2%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)70.2%61–78.373.5%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression23.1%19.7–26.819.8%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely33.6%28.3–39.233.5%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support24.1%20.1–28.225.4%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food17.2%13.8–2115.9%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing13.4%11–16.113.2%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off9.3%7.7–117.8%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation9.1%7.6–10.78%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)18.4%14.6–22.513.8%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability32.7%28–37.527.6%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs15.9%13.4–18.512.8%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering15%12.9–17.412.6%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty7.7%6.7–8.86.2%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty5.7%4.9–6.64.8%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone9.7%8.3–11.37.6%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing4.5%3.8–5.23.5%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 Jerome

Is Jerome a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jerome is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 39%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Jerome?

CDC estimates 42.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.3% and 49.9%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Jerome?

St. Johns Hospital in Springfield, 3.3 miles in a straight line from Jerome’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

How many people in Jerome have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–10.8%), 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 Jerome 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 Jerome.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.