Health · Benton

Benton, IL health

Benton differs from Illinois on 16 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (18.2% vs 10.3%) and more adults with COPD (10.8% vs 6.3%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Benton
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Benton’s Health Grade: C−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Benton is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, and than 34% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthC-Physical distressC-Mental distressC-ObesityC-DiabetesC-SmokingCExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 17%
Less healthyHealthier
Illinois towns we grade (1,344)Healthier than 5%
Towns with similar incomes, $41K–$68K (6,548)Healthier than 34%

Better than its income would suggest. Benton is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C−.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Benton could be anywhere from D− to B.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Illinois ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Benton with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Benton uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Benton compares with Illinois

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Benton adults…

39 of every 100 Benton adults have high blood pressure
Illinois: 33 in 100 · worse · margin 34.4–43.2%

Bars show Benton; the black tick is Illinois. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Benton, betterBenton, worseToo close to callIllinois
Get no exerciseshare of adults 28.5% Benton
IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 38.4% Benton
IL 35.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.6% Benton
IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 17.7% Benton
IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%
Yearly checkup
IL 78%
57%
Dentist visit
IL 63%
85%
Cholesterol check
IL 87%
61%
Colon screening
IL 60%
68%
Mammogram
IL 74%
79%
Taking BP meds
IL 76%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Benton 9.3% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Benton adults are doing

1 in 3Benton adults feel lonely
33.6% · Illinois 33.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Benton adults have been diagnosed with depression
24% · Illinois 19.8% · worse
1 in 4Benton adults lack social or emotional support
24.5% · Illinois 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Benton adults are in frequent mental distress
18.7% · Illinois 15.6% · worse
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 6
Benton adults worry about having enough food
17.6% · IL 15.9% · about the same
1 in 8
Benton adults worry about keeping their housing
12.7% · IL 13.2% · about the same
1 in 11
Benton adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.8% · IL 7.8% · about the same
1 in 11
Benton adults lack reliable transportation
9.2% · IL 8% · about the same

19% of Benton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Disability

Living with a disability

36.6%

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

Walking or climbing stairs18.8%
Thinking or memory16.2%
Hearing9.4%
Errands alone11.1%
Vision6.4%
Dressing or bathing5.1%

Black tick: Illinois. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Benton

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

HNearest ERFranklin HospitalBenton · 0.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyHeartland Regional Medical Center★★★★★ · 19.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careChristopher Greater Area Rural Health Planning CorporationBenton · 0.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.3 mi
Franklin Hospital
Benton · not rated
ERRural critical accessIn Benton
0.9 mi
Christopher Greater Area Rural Health Planning Corporation
7 sites · nearest in Benton
Sliding-scale feesIn Benton
Directions to nearest
15.9 mi
Herrin Hospital
Herrin · ★★★★★
ER
17.4 mi
Marshall Browning Hospital
Du Quoin · not rated
ERRural critical access
18.4 mi
Shawnee Health Care, Marion
Marion · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
19.1 mi
Heartland Regional Medical Center
Marion · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careBenton's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Franklin County · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careBenton's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Franklin County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthBenton's county is a federal shortage area.Southern IL MHCA · need score 16 of 25

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 Benton. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Benton
MeasureBentonMarginIllinois
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure38.9%34.4–43.2%33%worse
High cholesterol38.4%33.8–42.9%35.4%about the same
Obesity41.1%32.4–49.8%34%about the same
Arthritis32.3%28.6–35.9%24.2%worse
Depression24%20.1–27.9%19.8%worse
Lost all teeth (65+)18.2%14.9–22.1%10.3%worse
Asthma11.1%9.7–12.6%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10%9–11%7.6%worse
Diabetes14.1%12.1–16.2%11.7%worse
COPD10.8%9.2–12.4%6.3%worse
Heart disease8.8%7.8–9.8%5.9%worse
Stroke4.6%4.1–5.1%3.3%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17.7%14.9–20.6%12.1%worse
Binge drink16.6%13.5–20%17.8%about the same
Get no exercise28.5%23.6–33.5%23%worse
Sleep under 7 hours38.4%31.4–46.2%35.4%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup78.8%74.8–82.2%77.8%about the same
Dentist visit57.3%53.1–61.4%63.4%worse
Cholesterol check85.1%83–87.1%87.4%worse
Colon screening61%55.3–66.8%60.2%about the same
Mammogram68.4%59–77.1%73.5%about the same
Taking BP meds78.7%75.7–81.3%75.7%about the same
No health insurance9.3%7.6–11.4%9.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.6%28.4–39.4%33.5%about the same
Lack emotional support24.5%20.6–28.7%25.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress18.7%16.3–20.9%15.6%worse
Fair or poor health24%20.6–27.4%18.6%worse
Frequent physical distress16.4%14.3–18.6%12.2%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity17.6%14.5–20.9%15.9%about the same
Housing insecurity12.7%10.6–14.9%13.2%about the same
Utility shut-off threat8.8%7.5–10.3%7.8%about the same
No reliable transportation9.2%7.9–10.7%8%about the same
Receive SNAP19%15.7–22.5%13.8%
Disability
Any disability36.6%31.7–41.5%27.6%
Walking or climbing stairs18.8%16.1–21.5%12.8%
Thinking or memory16.2%14–18.4%12.6%
Hearing9.4%8.3–10.6%6.2%
Vision6.4%5.6–7.2%4.8%
Dressing or bathing5.1%4.4–5.8%3.5%
Errands alone11.1%9.6–12.6%7.6%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Benton door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Illinois figure falls inside it, we don't call Benton better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Benton directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Illinois figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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