Within Illinois, Watson Township is healthier than 45% of graded towns
Watson Township differs from Illinois on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 62401, 62473, 62467, 62424. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Watson Township
COPD, cancer and arthritis run high in Watson Township
1 in 13 adults have COPD (8%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.4%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. Arthritis is also above the state: 28.6%, vs 24.2% across Illinois. In all, Watson Township runs above Illinois on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Fewer Watson Township adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing and utility bills all run below Illinois. 1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Watson Township’s likely range; Watson Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 62401, 62473, 62467, 62424, 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 Watson Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Watson Township is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #425 of 767 in Illinois. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 66% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 53%.
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). Watson Township’s median household income is $77,209; among the 10,814 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($58K–$97K), it’s healthier than 68%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Watson Township adults…
Watson Township runs above IL on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.3% of Watson Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Care in and near Watson Township
No hospital or community health center in Watson 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 Watson 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.
0.8 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Watson Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Watson Township adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Watson 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.
Watson Township and the towns around it
Watson Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watson Township | B | 34.6% | 11.5% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Union Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Jackson Township | B− | 35.2% | 11.7% | 15.3% | ZIP codes |
| Bishop Township | B+ | 34% | 9.6% | 13.6% | ZIP codes |
| Teutopolis Township | A− | 32.7% | 10.1% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
| Douglas Township | B | 34.5% | 11.7% | 14.1% | ZIP codes |
| Watson | — | — | — | — | |
| St. Francis Township | A− | 32.8% | 9.8% | 12.2% | ZIP codes |
Union Township and Watson: 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 Watson Township adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Watson Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Watson Township is better than Illinois on 5 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Watson Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Watson Township | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.7%16.1–21.3 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.9–15.3 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%14.9–19 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.6%26.5–42.8 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%9.8–13.2 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.6%31.1–39.8 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%31.8–40.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.6%25–32 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.1–11.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.5–10.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6.2–7.7 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8%7–9 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13%10.5–15.7 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.1–16.7 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.3%19.1–27.6 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.6%15.1–22.1 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.9%27.9–41.9 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%5.9–8.6 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78%73.8–81.4 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64%60.2–67.7 | 63.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.7%84.6–88.4 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77%73.6–79.7 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.3%58.8–69.4 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.7%62.8–79.3 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19–26.3 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.3%27.3–37.7 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.2%19.8–27.1 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.6%10.5–14.9 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.1%8.5–11.8 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.7–7.7 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%6–7.9 | 8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.3%10.3–14.5 | 13.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.8%25.5–34 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%12.2–16 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.8–15.3 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.7–8.4 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7.4–9.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.3–4.1 | 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 Watson Township
Is Watson Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Watson Township is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #425 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 68%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Watson Township?
CDC estimates 34.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.5% and 42.8%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Watson Township?
St. Anthonys Memorial Hospital in Effingham, 5.7 miles in a straight line from Watson Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Watson Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.9–8.6%), 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 Watson 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 Watson 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.