Mercer County Fairgrounds · Photo: Boscophotos · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Mercer Township is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns
Mercer Township differs from Illinois on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 61231. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Mercer Township
COPD, heart disease and cancer run high in Mercer Township
1 in 10 adults have COPD (9.6%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.7%), vs 5.9% across Illinois. Cancer is also above the state: 11%, vs 7.6% across Illinois. In all, Mercer Township runs above Illinois on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Mercer Township, and more people treating it
40.2% of adults have high blood pressure (Illinois 33%), but 80.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Mercer Township
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.4%), 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 Mercer Township’s likely range; Mercer Township’s figures come from ZIP code 61231, 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 Mercer Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mercer Township is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns, #590 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 27%).
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). Mercer Township’s median household income is $71,042; among the 10,595 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$89K), it’s healthier than 42%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Mercer Township compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 7.6% (U.S. 11%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.1% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Mercer Township adults…
Mercer Township runs above IL on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Mercer 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.
3.2 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Care in and near Mercer Township
1 hospital in Mercer Township, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Mercer 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 Mercer Township adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Mercer 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.
13.4% of Mercer Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Mercer Township and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer Township | C+ | 39% | 13.7% | 15.4% | ZIP 61231 |
| Greene Township | B− | 37.7% | 12.2% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Ohio Grove Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Millersburg Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Perryton Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Abington Township | — | — | — | — |
Ohio Grove Township, Millersburg Township, Perryton Township and Abington Township: 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 Mercer Township adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Mercer Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Mercer Township is better than Illinois on 4 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Mercer Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Mercer Township | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21%18–24.4 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.1–17.2 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.6–18.8 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39%30.1–48.1 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.7%11.6–15.8 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.2%35.5–44.9 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.8%35.1–44.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.2%29.3–37.1 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.2–11.8 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%9.9–12.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.7%7.7–9.7 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.6%8.2–11 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.8%12.6–19.4 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%12.8–18.2 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.8%21–30.8 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%13.5–20 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.6%27.9–42.2 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%6.1–9.3 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.1%76.4–83.3 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.2%58.3–66.1 | 63.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88%86.2–89.7 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.1%77–82.8 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65%59.4–70.4 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.1%62.2–79.4 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.4%18.8–26.1 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.6%27.3–38.3 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.4%19.7–27.4 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.2%10.8–15.8 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.2%8.5–12 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.8%5.8–8 | 7.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.1–8.2 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.4%11–16.2 | 13.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.1%29.3–38.9 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.2%14.7–19.8 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.9%12–15.9 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.2–10.6 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8–10.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.7–4.9 | 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 Mercer Township
Is Mercer Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mercer Township is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #590 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 42%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Mercer Township?
CDC estimates 39% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.1% and 48.1%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Mercer Township?
Genesis Medical Center, Aledo in Aledo, 1.9 miles in a straight line from Mercer Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Mercer Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–9.3%), 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 Mercer 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 Mercer 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.