Health · Sparta

Sparta, IL health

Sparta differs from Illinois on 17 of 40 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (79% vs 75.7%). Where it trails the state: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (17% vs 10.3%).

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

Sparta’s Health Grade: C−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Sparta is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns, and than 41% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthC-Physical distressCMental distressC-ObesityC-DiabetesCSmokingCExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 19%
Less healthyHealthier
Illinois towns we grade (1,344)Healthier than 7%
Towns with similar incomes, $39K–$65K (6,063)Healthier than 41%

Better than its income would suggest. Sparta 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, Sparta 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 Sparta 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. Sparta 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 Sparta 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 Sparta adults…

42 of every 100 Sparta adults have high blood pressure
Illinois: 33 in 100 · worse · margin 37.2–46.5%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Sparta, betterSparta, worseToo close to callIllinois
Get no exerciseshare of adults 28.7% Sparta
IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 38.6% Sparta
IL 35.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.8% Sparta
IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 17.1% Sparta
IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%
Yearly checkup
IL 78%
57%
Dentist visit
IL 63%
87%
Cholesterol check
IL 87%
62%
Colon screening
IL 60%
67%
Mammogram
IL 74%
79%
Taking BP meds
IL 76%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Sparta 8.6% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Sparta adults are doing

1 in 3Sparta adults feel lonely
34.2% · Illinois 33.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Sparta adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.7% · Illinois 19.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Sparta adults lack social or emotional support
25.5% · Illinois 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Sparta adults are in frequent mental distress
18.3% · 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 5
Sparta adults worry about having enough food
18.8% · IL 15.9% · about the same
1 in 7
Sparta adults worry about keeping their housing
14.4% · IL 13.2% · about the same
1 in 10
Sparta adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
10.1% · IL 7.8% · worse
1 in 10
Sparta adults lack reliable transportation
9.6% · IL 8% · worse

20.2% of Sparta adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Disability

Living with a disability

35.7%

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

Walking or climbing stairs18.4%
Thinking or memory15.4%
Hearing8.8%
Errands alone10.6%
Vision6.4%
Dressing or bathing5%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Sparta

1 hospital in Sparta, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERSparta Community HospitalSparta · 2.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyRed Bud Regional Hospital★★★★★ · 15.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSouthern Illinois Healthcare FoundationRed Bud · 15 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.4 mi
Sparta Community Hospital
Sparta · ★★★★★
ERRural critical accessIn Sparta
15 mi
Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation
6 sites · nearest in Red Bud
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
15.2 mi
Red Bud Regional Hospital
Red Bud · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
15.9 mi
Memorial Hospital
Chester · not rated
ERRural critical access
17.4 mi
Pinckneyville Community Hospital
Pinckneyville · not rated
ERRural critical access
28.7 mi
Christopher Greater Area Rural Health Planning Corporation
2 sites · nearest in Du Quoin
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary careSparta's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME - Randolph County · need score 16 of 25
✓ Dental careSparta is not a shortage area
! Mental healthSparta's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Metro East · 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 Sparta. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Sparta
MeasureSpartaMarginIllinois
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure41.9%37.2–46.5%33%worse
High cholesterol38.7%34–43.4%35.4%about the same
Obesity41.2%32.4–50.5%34%about the same
Arthritis32.3%28.6–35.9%24.2%worse
Depression22.7%19.2–26.6%19.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)17%13.7–21%10.3%worse
Asthma11.3%9.9–12.8%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.7%8.6–10.7%7.6%worse
Diabetes14.7%12.6–17%11.7%worse
COPD10.1%8.4–11.8%6.3%worse
Heart disease8.5%7.4–9.6%5.9%worse
Stroke4.7%4.1–5.2%3.3%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17.1%14–20.2%12.1%worse
Binge drink15.8%12.9–19.1%17.8%about the same
Get no exercise28.7%23.3–34.1%23%worse
Sleep under 7 hours38.6%31.4–46.4%35.4%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79.9%76.3–83.3%77.8%about the same
Dentist visit57.4%53.4–61.6%63.4%worse
Cholesterol check86.7%84.5–88.6%87.4%about the same
Colon screening61.8%56.4–67.2%60.2%about the same
Mammogram67.1%57.9–75.7%73.5%about the same
Taking BP meds79%76.1–81.7%75.7%better
No health insurance8.6%6.8–10.5%9.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely34.2%29.1–40%33.5%about the same
Lack emotional support25.5%21.8–29.6%25.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress18.3%16.1–20.7%15.6%worse
Fair or poor health23.7%20–27.4%18.6%worse
Frequent physical distress15.9%13.7–18.3%12.2%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity18.8%15.7–22.2%15.9%about the same
Housing insecurity14.4%12.3–16.8%13.2%about the same
Utility shut-off threat10.1%8.6–11.6%7.8%worse
No reliable transportation9.6%8.3–11.1%8%worse
Receive SNAP20.2%16.8–23.6%13.8%
Disability
Any disability35.7%30.4–40.8%27.6%
Walking or climbing stairs18.4%15.5–21.4%12.8%
Thinking or memory15.4%13.3–17.7%12.6%
Hearing8.8%7.6–10%6.2%
Vision6.4%5.5–7.3%4.8%
Dressing or bathing5%4.3–5.7%3.5%
Errands alone10.6%9.1–12.1%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 Sparta door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Illinois figure falls inside it, we don't call Sparta better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Sparta 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01