Photo: Robert Haugland · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Illinois, Knoxville is healthier than 43% of graded towns
Knoxville differs from Illinois on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Knoxville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Knoxville
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Knoxville
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.8%), vs 5.9% across Illinois. COPD is also above the state: 8.3%, vs 6.3% across Illinois. In all, Knoxville runs above Illinois on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Fewer Knoxville 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 ↓
Knoxville is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its B tops all three graded neighbors. The closest is Knox Township (C+). Around town ↓
Nearly everyone in Knoxville 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 Knoxville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Knoxville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Knoxville is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #438 of 767 in Illinois. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 65% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 49%).
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). Knoxville’s median household income is $82,863; among the 10,553 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($62K–$104K), it’s healthier than 60%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Knoxville adults…
Knoxville runs above IL on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.9% of Knoxville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Knoxville and the towns around it
Knoxville has the best Health Grade of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | B | 36% | 12.1% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| Galesburg City Township | D | 40.4% | 14.5% | 17.7% | ZIP 61401 |
| Galesburg | D | 41.2% | 14.5% | 18.2% | CDC place |
| Knox Township | C+ | 37.6% | 12.9% | 14.7% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Keeping up with care
Share of Knoxville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Care in and near Knoxville
No hospital or community health center in Knoxville 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 Knoxville; ≈ 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.
0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Knoxville adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Knoxville 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Knoxville adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Knoxville
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Knoxville is better than Illinois on 6 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Knoxville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Knoxville | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.4%15.3–21.6 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%11.9–16 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14–18.4 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36%27.9–44.5 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.1–14 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.6%32.9–42.1 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%33.8–43.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.4%27.6–35.1 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9–11.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%9.9–12.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%6.8–8.9 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.3%6.8–9.7 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.5–4.6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.2%12.2–18.3 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%10.7–16.1 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.1%19.4–29.2 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.8%13.8–20.2 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.6%27.7–42 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.6%5–8.4 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.2%76.5–83.6 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.6%58.5–66.5 | 63.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.3%86.4–90.2 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%76.8–82.6 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.9%57–68.4 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.7%61.4–78.7 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.8%18.3–25.7 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.5%26.2–37.1 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.7%19–27.1 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.3%8.9–14.3 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.1%7.4–11.2 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%4.9–7.2 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.3%5.3–7.6 | 8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.9%8.5–13.9 | 13.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.4%26.7–36.2 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.4%12.7–18.1 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.9%10.9–14.9 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.5–9.9 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%3.9–5.4 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7–9.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.1–4.3 | 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 Knoxville
Is Knoxville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Knoxville is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #438 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 60%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Knoxville?
CDC estimates 36% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.9% and 44.5%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Knoxville?
St. Mary Medical Center in Galesburg, 7.0 miles in a straight line from Knoxville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Knoxville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5–8.4%), 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 Knoxville 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 Knoxville.
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.