On CDC estimates, Ross Township is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns
Ross Township differs from Illinois on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 61924, 61870. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ross Township
COPD, heart disease and cancer run high in Ross Township
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.6%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 5.9% across Illinois. Cancer is also above the state: 11.3%, vs 7.6% across Illinois. In all, Ross Township runs above Illinois on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
In Ross Township, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 7.4% of working-age adults are uninsured (Illinois 9.9%), yet 22.4% say their health is fair or poor, vs 18.6% across the state. Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in Ross Township, and more people treating it
42.2% of adults have high blood pressure (Illinois 33%), but 80.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.7% statewide. 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 Ross Township’s likely range; Ross Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 61924, 61870, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Ross Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ross Township is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 48% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 19%).
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). Ross Township’s median household income is $61,850; among the 9,369 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 40%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Ross Township compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 7.4% (U.S. 11%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.5% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Ross Township adults…
Ross Township runs above IL on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ross Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Care in and near Ross Township
No hospital or community health center in Ross 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 Ross 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.
1.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Ross Township adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Ross 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.
15.6% of Ross Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Ross 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Township | C | 38.6% | 14.5% | 16.4% | ZIP codes |
| Young America Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Prairie Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Carroll Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Elwood Township | C | 42.2% | 13.5% | 16.7% | ZIP codes |
Young America Township, Prairie Township and Carroll 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 Ross Township adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ross Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ross Township is better than Illinois on 4 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Ross Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ross Township | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.4%19.3–25.9 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14–18.2 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15–19.5 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.6%30–47.7 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.5%12.5–16.8 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.2%37.6–46.8 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.1%36.5–45.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 34.8%30.9–38.9 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.5–12.3 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.3%10.2–12.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.9–10.1 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.6%9.1–12.3 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.8%13.4–20.3 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.4%13.7–19.3 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.4%22.5–32.7 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16%13–19.3 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.7%29–43.9 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6–9.1 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.3%76.9–83.6 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.8%56.3–64.6 | 63.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.8%86.1–89.5 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.5%77.6–83.2 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.3%60.6–71.1 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.9%61.1–78.6 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%19.6–27.1 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.6%26.4–37.1 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.8%19.2–26.9 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.5%11.9–17.4 | 15.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%8.9–12.7 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.5%6.3–8.7 | 7.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.5–8.8 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.6%12.7–18.7 | 13.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.9%30.1–39.8 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.5%15.9–21.3 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.3%12.4–16.6 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.3–10.7 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.9%8.7–11.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.2–5.4 | 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 Ross Township
Is Ross Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ross Township is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 40%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ross Township?
CDC estimates 38.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 47.7%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ross Township?
Paris Community Hospital in Paris, 16.0 miles in a straight line from Ross Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ross Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6–9.1%), 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 Ross Township 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 Ross 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.