Health · Unity

Unity, IL health

Unity differs from Illinois on 26 of 40 measures. It has fewer binge drinkers (11.6% vs 17.8%) and fewer adults who have had cancer (6.2% vs 7.6%). Where it trails the state: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (33.4% vs 10.3%).

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

Unity’s Health Grade: B−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Unity is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns.

B-Self-rated healthB-Physical distressB-Mental distressB-ObesityBDiabetesC+SmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 49%
Less healthyHealthier
Illinois towns we grade (1,344)Healthier than 40%
Towns with similar incomes, $60K–$101K (9,798)Healthier than 48%

About what its income would suggest. Unity does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Unity could be anywhere from C− to A−.
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 Unity 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. Unity 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 Unity 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 Unity adults…

47 of every 100 Unity adults have high blood pressure
Illinois: 33 in 100 · worse · margin 42–50.9%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Unity, betterUnity, worseToo close to callIllinois
Get no exerciseshare of adults 34.7% Unity
IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 45.4% Unity
IL 35.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 11.6% Unity
IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 16.3% Unity
IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

83%
Yearly checkup
IL 78%
52%
Dentist visit
IL 63%
87%
Cholesterol check
IL 87%
66%
Colon screening
IL 60%
77%
Mammogram
IL 74%
81%
Taking BP meds
IL 76%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Unity 10.4% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Unity adults are doing

1 in 3Unity adults feel lonely
40% · Illinois 33.5% · worse
1 in 5Unity adults have been diagnosed with depression
20.5% · Illinois 19.8% · too close to call
1 in 3Unity adults lack social or emotional support
32.5% · Illinois 25.4% · worse
1 in 5Unity adults are in frequent mental distress
20.5% · 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 3
Unity adults worry about having enough food
33.3% · IL 15.9% · worse
1 in 4
Unity adults worry about keeping their housing
26.1% · IL 13.2% · worse
1 in 5
Unity adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
18.3% · IL 7.8% · worse
1 in 6
Unity adults lack reliable transportation
16.4% · IL 8% · worse

36.6% of Unity adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Disability

Living with a disability

39.4%

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

Walking or climbing stairs22.5%
Thinking or memory17.8%
Hearing6.4%
Errands alone13.8%
Vision9.4%
Dressing or bathing7.1%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Unity

No hospital or community health center in Unity itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERMercy Hospital SoutheastCape Girardeau · 18.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySaint Francis Medical Center★★★★★ · 19.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCommunity Health & Emergency ServicesPulaski · 5.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5.6 mi
Community Health & Emergency Services
4 sites · nearest in Pulaski
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
14.2 mi
Arcare
2 sites · nearest in Barlow
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
18.5 mi
Mercy Hospital Southeast
Cape Girardeau · ★★★★★
ER
19.4 mi
Saint Francis Medical Center
Cape Girardeau · ★★★★★
ER
21.2 mi
Deaconess Illinois Union County
Anna · not rated
ERRural critical access
25 mi
Missouri Delta Medical Center
Sikeston · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careUnity's county is a federal shortage area.Alexander County · need score 21 of 25
! Dental careUnity's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Alexander County · need score 11 of 25
! Mental healthUnity'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 Unity. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Unity
MeasureUnityMarginIllinois
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure46.6%42–50.9%33%worse
High cholesterol35.3%30.7–39.8%35.4%about the same
Obesity48.8%39.1–57.7%34%worse
Arthritis31.2%27.3–34.9%24.2%worse
Depression20.5%17–24%19.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)33.4%28.1–40%10.3%worse
Asthma13.9%12.1–15.8%9.9%worse
Cancer (not skin)6.2%5.5–7%7.6%better
Diabetes18.8%16.1–21.6%11.7%worse
COPD9.2%7.4–11.2%6.3%worse
Heart disease7.7%6.6–8.9%5.9%worse
Stroke5.9%5–6.9%3.3%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes16.3%12.8–19.8%12.1%worse
Binge drink11.6%9.2–14.1%17.8%better
Get no exercise34.7%28.2–41.5%23%worse
Sleep under 7 hours45.4%37.9–54%35.4%worse
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup83.4%80–86.2%77.8%better
Dentist visit51.7%47.5–56.1%63.4%worse
Cholesterol check87%84.6–89.2%87.4%about the same
Colon screening65.7%59.8–71.7%60.2%about the same
Mammogram77.1%72.8–81.4%73.5%about the same
Taking BP meds81%78.7–83.1%75.7%better
No health insurance10.4%7.7–13.6%9.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely40%34.3–46%33.5%worse
Lack emotional support32.5%27.6–37.8%25.4%worse
Frequent mental distress20.5%17.6–23.2%15.6%worse
Fair or poor health29%24.1–34.3%18.6%worse
Frequent physical distress16.2%13.7–18.9%12.2%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity33.3%27.2–40.1%15.9%worse
Housing insecurity26.1%21.5–30.9%13.2%worse
Utility shut-off threat18.3%15.1–21.4%7.8%worse
No reliable transportation16.4%13.6–19.4%8%worse
Receive SNAP36.6%29.9–43.6%13.8%
Disability
Any disability39.4%33.3–45.5%27.6%
Walking or climbing stairs22.5%18.7–26.3%12.8%
Thinking or memory17.8%14.7–21.2%12.6%
Hearing6.4%5.5–7.4%6.2%
Vision9.4%7.8–11.2%4.8%
Dressing or bathing7.1%5.8–8.5%3.5%
Errands alone13.8%11.4–16.4%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 Unity door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Illinois figure falls inside it, we don't call Unity better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Unity 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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