Walnut Grove Farm · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Knox Township is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns
Knox Township differs from Illinois on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 61448, 61401, 61436, 61430. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Knox Township
COPD, cancer and heart disease run high in Knox Township
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.6%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.1%, vs 5.9% across Illinois. In all, Knox Township runs above Illinois on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Illinois 17%), and COPD, cancer and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Knox Township, and more people treating it
38.6% of adults have high blood pressure (Illinois 33%), but 79.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Knox Township
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (14.7%), 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 Knox Township’s likely range; Knox Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 61448, 61401, 61436, 61430, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Knox Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Knox Township is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns, #528 of 767 in Illinois. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 56% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 37%).
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). Knox Township’s median household income is $82,353; among the 10,581 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($62K–$103K), it’s healthier than 38%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Knox Township compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 7.6% (U.S. 11%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.6% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Knox Township adults…
Knox Township runs above IL on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Knox Township is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Illinois. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Knox Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Knox Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Knox Township
No hospital or community health center in Knox Township 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 Knox Township; ≈ 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).
How Knox Township adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Knox Township 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.
14.1% of Knox Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Knox Township and the towns around it
Knox Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox Township | C+ | 37.6% | 12.9% | 14.7% | ZIP codes |
| Galesburg City Township | D | 40.4% | 14.5% | 17.7% | ZIP 61401 |
| Galesburg | D | 41.2% | 14.5% | 18.2% | CDC place |
| Galesburg Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Persifer Township | B | 36.7% | 12.7% | 13.8% | ZIP codes |
| Orange Township | — | — | — | — | |
| East Galesburg | — | — | — | — | |
| Sparta Township | B | 36.8% | 12.2% | 14.1% | ZIP codes |
Galesburg Township, Orange Township and East Galesburg: 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 Knox Township adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Knox Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Knox Township is better than Illinois on 3 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Knox Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Knox Township | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.3%17.5–23.1 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%12.8–16.6 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.7–18.9 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.6%29.4–46 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11–14.9 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.6%34.1–43.1 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.9%34.3–43.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.6%27.9–35.3 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.3–11.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.6–11.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.2–9.1 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9%7.7–10.2 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.7–4.6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.3%12.4–18.5 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.7%12.4–17.3 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.6%21.2–30.4 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.4–19.7 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.4%28.4–42.9 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%6.2–9.2 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.1%76.4–83.4 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61%56.9–64.9 | 63.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%85.9–89.4 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.6%76.6–82.3 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64%58.2–69.4 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.6%61.2–78.5 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.1%18.6–25.8 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%26.6–37.3 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.5%19.9–27.5 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.9%11.7–16.5 | 15.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.7%9.1–12.6 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.3%6.2–8.4 | 7.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.5%6.5–8.6 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.1%11.8–16.5 | 13.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.5%28.1–37.1 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.2%14–18.6 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.8%12–15.7 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.6–9.8 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%7.9–10.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 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 Knox Township
Is Knox Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Knox Township is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #528 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 38%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Knox Township?
CDC estimates 37.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.4% and 46%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Knox Township?
St. Mary Medical Center in Galesburg, 6.6 miles in a straight line from Knox Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Knox Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.2–9.2%), 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 Knox Township 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 Knox Township.
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.