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Liberty Theater in MurphysboroPhoto: Nyttend · Public domain
≈ C−Health Grade
Health in Murphysboro · CDC PLACES 2025

Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Murphysboro is healthier than 56%

Murphysboro trails Illinois on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Murphysboro

COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Murphysboro

1 in 10 adults have COPD (9.7%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 23 adults have had a stroke (4.4%), vs 3.3% across Illinois. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.8%, vs 5.9% across Illinois. In all, Murphysboro runs above Illinois on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Dental care lags in Murphysboro

55% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.4% across Illinois. Among those 65 and older, 17.8% have lost all their teeth (Illinois 10.3%). Checkups ↓

Smoking is more common in Murphysboro

1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (17.6%), vs 12.1% across Illinois. Habits ↓

Murphysboro is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Murphysboro is healthier than 17%. Against the 3,727 towns with similar household incomes ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 56%. Health Grade ↓

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

Health Grade

What’s behind Murphysboro’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Murphysboro is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, #721 of 767 in Illinois. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 33% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 5%).

C−Self-rated health23.7% · IL 18.6% · U.S. 19.4%
CPhysical distress15.7% · IL 12.2% · U.S. 13%
C−Mental distress18.7% · IL 15.6% · U.S. 15.9%
DObesity43.9% · IL 34% · U.S. 32.9%
C−Diabetes14.2% · IL 11.7% · U.S. 12%
C−Smoking17.6% smoke · IL 12.1% · U.S. 11.8%
CExercise28.1% · IL 23% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 17%
Less healthyHealthier
Illinois towns we grade (767)Healthier than 6%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $33K–$55K (3,727)Healthier than 56%

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). Murphysboro’s median household income is $44,154; among the 3,727 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 56%, more than its income alone would suggest.

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

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Murphysboro adults…

Murphysboro runs above IL on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

10 of every 100 Murphysboro adults have COPD
Illinois: 6 in 100 · worse · likely 8.4–10.9%
Better than ILWorseAbout the sameIllinois
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%Yearly checkupIL 78%
55%Dentist visitIL 63%
85%Cholesterol checkIL 87%
64%Colon screeningIL 60%
71%MammogramIL 74%
77%Taking BP medsIL 76%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Murphysboro 9.7% · 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 28.1%IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hours 39.5%IL 35.4%
Binge drink 16.5%IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 17.6%IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Murphysboro, betterMurphysboro, worseAbout the sameIllinois
Where Murphysboro gets moving

0 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Getting care

Care in and near Murphysboro

1 hospital and 1 community health center in Murphysboro, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERSt. Joseph Memorial HospitalMurphysboro · 0.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMemorial Hospital of Carbondale★★★★★ · 6.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careShawnee Health Service and Development CorporationMurphysboro · 0.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.5 mi
St. Joseph Memorial Hospital
Murphysboro · not rated
ERRural critical accessIn Murphysboro
0.7 mi
Shawnee Health Service and Development Corporation
6 sites · nearest in Murphysboro
Sliding-scale feesIn Murphysboro
Directions to nearest
4.7 mi
Cedar Court Clinic
Carbondale · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
6.7 mi
Memorial Hospital of Carbondale
Carbondale · ★★★★★
ER
16.9 mi
Herrin Hospital
Herrin · ★★★★★
ER
18.3 mi
Heartland Regional Medical Center
Marion · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Murphysboro itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Murphysboro itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Murphysboro 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 Murphysboro; ≈ 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 Murphysboro adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, Murphysboro runs above Illinois.

1 in 3Murphysboro adults feel lonely
35% · IL 33.5% · About the same as IL
1 in 4Murphysboro adults lack social or emotional support
26.2% · IL 25.4% · About the same as IL
1 in 4Murphysboro adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.8% · IL 19.8% · About the same as IL
1 in 5Murphysboro adults are in frequent mental distress
18.7% · IL 15.6% · Worse than IL
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Murphysboro 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 5
Murphysboro adults worry about having enough food
20.1% · IL 15.9%
Worse than IL
1 in 6
Murphysboro adults worry about keeping their housing
15.6% · IL 13.2%
Worse than IL
1 in 9
Murphysboro adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
10.9% · IL 7.8%
Worse than IL
1 in 10
Murphysboro adults lack reliable transportation
10.4% · IL 8%
Worse than IL

21.6% of Murphysboro adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Around town

Murphysboro and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
MurphysboroC−43.9%14.2%17.6%CDC place

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

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

34.5%

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

Walking or climbing stairs17.5%
Thinking or memory15.9%
Hearing8.1%
Errands alone10.6%
Vision6.5%
Dressing or bathing5.1%
Illinois

Every CDC estimate for Murphysboro

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

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Murphysboro is better than Illinois on 0 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Murphysboro’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…MurphysboroILU.S.vs IL
Overall health
Fair or poor health23.7%20.5–26.818.6%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)15.7%13.8–17.612.2%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)18.7%16.5–2115.6%15.9%Worse
Conditions
Obesity43.9%35.5–52.934%32.9%Worse
Diabetes14.2%12.2–16.311.7%12%Worse
High blood pressure39.4%35–44.133%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)37%32.6–41.635.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis30.3%26.8–3424.2%25.3%Worse
Asthma11.2%9.9–12.79.9%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer8.7%7.8–9.67.6%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease7.8%7–8.75.9%6.4%Worse
COPD9.7%8.4–10.96.3%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.4%4–4.83.3%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)17.8%14.6–21.510.3%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17.6%15.1–20.412.1%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work28.1%23.5–33.223%24.7%Worse
Binge drinking16.5%13.5–19.917.8%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours39.5%32.5–46.835.4%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)9.7%8.2–11.59.9%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year79%75.4–82.477.8%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year55%51.1–58.863.4%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years85.4%83.3–87.487.4%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)77.3%74.3–80.175.7%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)63.6%58.2–68.860.2%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)71.2%62.6–78.973.5%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression22.8%19.3–26.819.8%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely35%29.5–40.533.5%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support26.2%22.3–30.125.4%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food20.1%17.1–23.215.9%15%Worse
Worried about keeping housing15.6%13.4–17.813.2%12%Worse
Threatened with a utility shut-off10.9%9.4–12.47.8%7.6%Worse
Lack reliable transportation10.4%9.1–11.88%7.9%Worse
Received SNAP (food stamps)21.6%18.4–24.713.8%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability34.5%29.9–39.427.6%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs17.5%15.2–19.812.8%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering15.9%14–18.112.6%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty8.1%7.1–9.16.2%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty6.5%5.8–7.14.8%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone10.6%9.4–11.97.6%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing5.1%4.6–5.63.5%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 Murphysboro

Is Murphysboro a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Murphysboro is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #721 of 767 in Illinois. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Murphysboro?

CDC estimates 43.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.5% and 52.9%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Murphysboro?

St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Murphysboro, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Murphysboro’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Murphysboro have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 9.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.2–11.5%), 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 Murphysboro 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 Murphysboro.

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.