Photo: Paul Sableman · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Madison is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Madison differs from Illinois on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Madison. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Madison
Dental care lags in Madison
50.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.4% across Illinois. Among those 65 and older, 27.7% have lost all their teeth (Illinois 10.3%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Madison
1 in 6 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off (17.1%), about twice the Illinois rate. Food insecurity (31.5% vs 15.9%) and housing insecurity (25.4% vs 13.2%) are higher too. 32.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Stroke, diabetes and COPD run high in Madison
1 in 19 adults have had a stroke (5.2%), vs 3.3% across Illinois. 1 in 6 adults have diabetes (17.8%), vs 11.7% across Illinois. COPD is also above the state: 9.5%, vs 6.3% across Illinois. In all, Madison runs above Illinois on eight of 11 chronic conditions. 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 Madison’s likely range.
What’s behind Madison’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Madison is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns, #761 of 767 in Illinois. All seven of Madison’s estimates fall in the lowest 15% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is obesity: 49.3% of adults, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
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). Madison’s median household income is $49,326; among the 5,535 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 14%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Madison compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.4% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Madison adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
32.9% of Madison adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Out of every 100 Madison adults…
Madison runs below IL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 9. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Madison
No hospital or community health center in Madison 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 Madison; ≈ 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.
6.5 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Madison adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Madison runs above Illinois.
2 in 5 Madison 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.
Madison and the towns around it
Madison’s Health Grade ranks 7th of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | D | 49.3% | 17.8% | 19% | CDC place |
| Granite City | C− | 41.5% | 12.8% | 16.9% | CDC place |
| Granite City Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Fairmont City | D | 43.6% | 16.8% | 18% | CDC place |
| Venice Township | D | 44.4% | 15.2% | 18.1% | ZIP codes |
| Venice | D− | 56.5% | 24.5% | 23.3% | CDC place |
| Nameoki Township | C− | 42.1% | 13.4% | 17.2% | ZIP codes |
| Brooklyn | — | — | — | — |
Granite City Township: the same community as Granite City, graded once. Brooklyn: 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 Madison adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Madison
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Madison is better than Illinois on 2 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Madison’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Madison | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.8%25.1–32.4 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.7–18.9 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.3–22 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 49.3%42–56.4 | 34% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 17.8%15.5–20.2 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.9%41.5–50.1 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%32.1–40.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.3%26.9–33.8 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.4%10.9–13.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.4%5.8–7.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.8–8.5 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.5%8.3–10.7 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.2%4.8–5.7 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 27.7%23.1–32.5 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19%16–21.9 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.9%27.5–38 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.9%11.4–16.8 | 17.8% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 45.1%38.2–52.1 | 35.4% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.4%9.4–13.6 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.7%77.3–83.7 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.4%46.4–54.4 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86%84–87.9 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.3%75.3–80.9 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.4%56.7–67.7 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.7%66.4–81.7 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.7%16.6–23 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.6%33.5–43.9 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 34.4%30.3–38.7 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31.5%27.7–35.7 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 25.4%22.4–28.7 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 17.1%15.1–19.4 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.7%13–16.7 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 32.9%29.2–37.2 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.7%33.9–43.4 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.8%18.1–23.5 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%14.7–19 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.8–7.5 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.3%7.4–9.2 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12%10.6–13.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.6%5.9–7.4 | 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 Madison
Is Madison a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Madison is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D for health, #761 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 14%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Madison?
CDC estimates 49.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 42% and 56.4%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Madison?
Gateway Regional Medical Center in Granite City, 2.5 miles in a straight line from Madison’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Madison have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.4–13.6%), 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 Madison more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Madison.
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.