Photo: Gerry Dincher · CC BY-SA 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Virginia is healthier than 77%
Virginia differs from Illinois on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Virginia. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Virginia
Virginia is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Virginia is healthier than 50%. Against the 8,750 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$74K), it’s healthier than 77%. Health Grade ↓
COPD, cancer and arthritis run high in Virginia
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.3%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. Arthritis is also above the state: 30.3%, vs 24.2% across Illinois. In all, Virginia runs above Illinois on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Virginia has a community health center but no hospital
Cass County Public Health Department is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Jacksonville Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, 14.6 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Virginia’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A.
What’s behind Virginia’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Virginia is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 60% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 35%).
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). Virginia’s median household income is $59,375; among the 8,750 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$74K), it’s healthier than 77%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Virginia adults…
Virginia runs above IL on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Virginia
1 community health center in Virginia, 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 Virginia; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Virginia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Virginia adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Virginia 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.
12.2% of Virginia adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | B− | 38.1% | 12.2% | 14.5% | CDC place |
| Sangamon Valley Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Virginia Township | — | — | — | — |
Sangamon Valley Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Virginia Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Virginia adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Virginia
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Virginia is better than Illinois on 4 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Virginia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Virginia | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.6%16.2–23.4 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.1–16.6 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.7–19.4 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.1%29.3–47.4 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.2%10.3–14.3 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.5%33–42.3 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%33.7–43.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.3%26.5–34.2 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.2–12 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9–11.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.3–8.5 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.3%6.8–10 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.3–4.4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.8%11.1–14.5 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.5%11.8–17.8 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.2%19.5–29.7 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%14.1–20.8 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.2%30.8–37.8 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.7%5.8–9.8 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.9%74.9–82.3 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.3%61.8–66.8 | 63.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.5%85.2–89.6 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78%74.7–80.9 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.4%60.4–66.5 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.3%67.5–76.7 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.5%19–26.6 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.7%27.3–38.2 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.9%19.9–28.1 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.9%10.1–16 | 15.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.2%8.3–12.3 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.3–7.6 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%5.8–8.2 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.2%9.4–15.2 | 13.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.7%26.9–37.2 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.2%12.5–18.1 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%11.6–16.1 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%6.9–9.3 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.1–5.7 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.3–10.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 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 Virginia
Is Virginia a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Virginia is healthier than 50% 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 Virginia?
CDC estimates 38.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 47.4%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Virginia?
Jacksonville Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, 14.6 miles in a straight line from Virginia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Virginia have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–9.8%), 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 Virginia 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 Virginia.
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.