Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, New Athens Township is healthier than 97%
New Athens Township differs from Illinois on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 62264, 62243. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in New Athens Township
New Athens Township is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, New Athens Township is healthier than 73%. Against the 6,392 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 97%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in New Athens Township
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.1%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (30%), vs 24.2% across Illinois. In all, New Athens Township runs above Illinois on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Illinois 17%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer New Athens Township adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Illinois. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Nearly everyone in New Athens Township is insured
Only 5.9% 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 New Athens Township’s likely range; New Athens Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 62264, 62243, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind New Athens Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New Athens Township is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 77% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 62%.
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). New Athens Township’s median household income is $51,786; among the 6,392 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 97%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 New Athens Township adults…
New Athens Township runs above IL on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
New Athens Township is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Illinois. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in New Athens Township as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.2% of New Athens Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Keeping up with care
Share of New Athens Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Care in and near New Athens Township
No hospital or community health center in New Athens 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 New Athens 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
4.8 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How New Athens Township adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 New Athens 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.
New Athens Township and the towns around it
New Athens Township’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Athens Township | B+ | 34.5% | 11.2% | 12.9% | ZIP codes |
| Lenzburg Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Freeburg Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Prairie Du Long Township | B+ | 34.7% | 11% | 13% | ZIP codes |
| Fayetteville Township | B | 36.1% | 11.6% | 14.8% | ZIP codes |
| New Athens | A− | 34% | 10.6% | 12.7% | CDC place |
Lenzburg Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Freeburg Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of New Athens Township adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for New Athens Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, New Athens Township is better than Illinois on 7 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside New Athens Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | New Athens Township | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.5%14.1–19.3 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.9%11.2–14.8 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%13.9–18.1 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.5%27.8–41.3 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.2%9.5–13 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.6%32.4–40.9 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%34.2–43 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30%26.5–33.6 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.1–11.8 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9.2–11.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6–7.6 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.2%6.2–8.4 | 6.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3–3.8 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.3%8.4–12.6 | 10.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.9%10.7–15.4 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.3%17.4–25.6 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.8%15.5–22.2 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%27.3–39.1 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.9%4.8–7.3 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.6%76.2–82.8 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70%66.6–73.3 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.8%87.1–90.3 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.5%75.3–81.3 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.4%63.7–73.1 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.6%66–80.7 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.2%18.7–25.9 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31%26.2–36 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.6%19.1–26.3 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.9%8.1–12.1 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.5%7.1–10.1 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%4.7–6.6 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.2%7.5–11.4 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.1%24–32.6 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.2%11.1–15.3 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.9%10.3–13.8 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.4–8.4 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.3–8.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 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 New Athens Township
Is New Athens Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New Athens Township is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in New Athens Township?
CDC estimates 34.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.8% and 41.3%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to New Athens Township?
Red Bud Regional Hospital in Red Bud, 11.9 miles in a straight line from New Athens Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in New Athens Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.8–7.3%), 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 New Athens Township 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 New Athens 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.