Health · Mason
Mason, IL health
Mason differs from Illinois on 8 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (9% vs 6.3%) and more older adults who have lost all their teeth (14.4% vs 10.3%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for MasonTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C+
Mason’s Health Grade: C+
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Mason is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns.
C+Self-rated healthC+Physical distressC+Mental distressB-ObesityB-DiabetesCSmokingB-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 41%
Less healthyHealthier
Illinois towns we grade (1,344)Healthier than 30%
Towns with similar incomes, $58K–$97K (9,836)Healthier than 40%
About what its income would suggest. Mason does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Mason 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 Mason 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. Mason 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 Mason 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
35.4% have obesity
0 better6 close6 worse
Habits
25.8% get no exercise
0 better3 close1 worse
Care & screenings
77.7% had a checkup
0 better7 close0 worse
Mind & connection
33.7% feel lonely
0 better4 close1 worse
Everyday needs
14.6% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
32.7% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Mason adults…
37 of every 100 Mason adults have high blood pressure
Illinois: 33 in 100 · too close to call · margin 32.3–41.5%
Bars show Mason; the black tick is Illinois. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Mason, betterMason, worseToo close to callIllinois
Get no exerciseshare of adults
25.8% Mason
IL 23%
IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
36.3% Mason
IL 35.4%
IL 35.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults
17.8% Mason
IL 17.8%
IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
16.4% Mason
IL 12.1%
IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Mason adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Yearly checkup
IL 78%Dentist visit
IL 63%Cholesterol check
IL 87%Colon screening
IL 60%Mammogram
IL 74%Taking BP meds
IL 76%1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Mason 8.1% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection
How Mason adults are doing
1 in 3Mason adults feel lonely
33.7% · Illinois 33.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Mason adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.3% · Illinois 19.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Mason adults lack social or emotional support
25% · Illinois 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 6Mason adults are in frequent mental distress
18.1% · Illinois 15.6% · too close to call
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 7
Mason adults worry about having enough food
14.6% · IL 15.9% · about the same
1 in 9
Mason adults worry about keeping their housing
11.4% · IL 13.2% · about the same
1 in 14
Mason adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.4% · IL 7.8% · about the same
1 in 13
Mason adults lack reliable transportation
7.9% · IL 8% · about the same
14.6% of Mason adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Disability
Living with a disability
32.7%
of Mason adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs15.6%
Thinking or memory15.1%
Hearing8.3%
Errands alone9.3%
Vision5.2%
Dressing or bathing4.1%
Black tick: Illinois. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Mason
No hospital or community health center in Mason itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERSt. Anthonys Memorial HospitalEffingham · 12.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSouthern Illinois Healthcare FoundationEffingham · 12.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
12.7 mi
Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation
6 sites · nearest in Effingham
Sihf Healthcare - EffinghamEffingham · 12.7 mi
Sihf Healthcare - VandaliaVandalia · 26.3 mi
Sihf Healthcare - SalemSalem · 28.2 mi
Sihf Healthcare - GreenupGreenup · 32 mi
Sihf Healthcare - OlneyOlney · 33 mi
Sihf Healthcare - MattoonMattoon · 39.6 mi
20.3 mi
Christopher Greater Area Rural Health Planning Corporation
2 sites · nearest in Flora
Clay Medical CenterFlora · 20.3 mi
Fairfield Community Health CenterFairfield · 42 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careMason's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME - Effingham County · need score 16 of 25
✓ Dental careMason is not a shortage area
! Mental healthMason's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.LI Central Area MHCA · need score 18 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 Mason. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Mason
| Measure | Mason | Margin | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 37.1% | 32.3–41.5% | 33% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 37.1% | 32.3–41.6% | 35.4% | about the same |
| Obesity | 35.4% | 26.6–43.8% | 34% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 29.8% | 25.8–33.3% | 24.2% | worse |
| Depression | 23.3% | 19.4–27.1% | 19.8% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 14.4% | 11.4–17.7% | 10.3% | worse |
| Asthma | 10.8% | 9.3–12.1% | 9.9% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.5% | 8.4–10.5% | 7.6% | worse |
| Diabetes | 12.3% | 10.3–14.2% | 11.7% | about the same |
| COPD | 9% | 7.5–10.6% | 6.3% | worse |
| Heart disease | 7.6% | 6.6–8.7% | 5.9% | worse |
| Stroke | 3.9% | 3.4–4.5% | 3.3% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.4% | 13.1–19.7% | 12.1% | worse |
| Binge drink | 17.8% | 14.4–21.2% | 17.8% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 25.8% | 20.5–30.8% | 23% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.3% | 29.1–43.5% | 35.4% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 77.7% | 73.4–81.1% | 77.8% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 61.6% | 57.4–65.4% | 63.4% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 85.6% | 83.3–87.8% | 87.4% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 62.3% | 56.3–67.7% | 60.2% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 74.5% | 65.8–81.9% | 73.5% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 77.3% | 73.9–80.1% | 75.7% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 8.1% | 6–10.5% | 9.9% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 33.7% | 28.5–39.4% | 33.5% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 25% | 21.1–29.2% | 25.4% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 18.1% | 15.6–20.5% | 15.6% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 20.8% | 17.2–24.4% | 18.6% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 14.7% | 12.5–16.8% | 12.2% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 14.6% | 11.8–18% | 15.9% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 11.4% | 9.4–13.7% | 13.2% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 7.4% | 6.2–8.7% | 7.8% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 7.9% | 6.7–9.3% | 8% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 14.6% | 11.6–18% | 13.8% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.7% | 27.5–37.4% | 27.6% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 15.6% | 12.8–18.2% | 12.8% | |
| Thinking or memory | 15.1% | 12.7–17.5% | 12.6% | |
| Hearing | 8.3% | 7.2–9.4% | 6.2% | |
| Vision | 5.2% | 4.4–6% | 4.8% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.1% | 3.5–4.8% | 3.5% | |
| Errands alone | 9.3% | 7.8–10.7% | 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 Mason door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Illinois figure falls inside it, we don't call Mason better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Mason 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.