Health · Vernon

Vernon, IL health

Vernon differs from Illinois on 13 of 40 measures. It has fewer uninsured adults (5.6% vs 9.9%) and fewer adults facing housing insecurity (8% vs 13.2%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (11% vs 7.6%).

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

Vernon’s Health Grade: A+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Vernon is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns and 98% of Illinois towns.

A+Self-rated healthA+Physical distressA+Mental distressAObesityADiabetesA+SmokingA+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 97%
Less healthyHealthier
Illinois towns we grade (1,344)Healthier than 98%
Towns with similar incomes, $109K–$182K (2,897)Healthier than 93%

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

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

38 of every 100 Vernon adults have high blood pressure
Illinois: 33 in 100 · worse · margin 33.6–43.2%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Vernon, betterVernon, worseToo close to callIllinois
Get no exerciseshare of adults 22.2% Vernon
IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32.1% Vernon
IL 35.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 17.4% Vernon
IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 13.7% Vernon
IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%
Yearly checkup
IL 78%
69%
Dentist visit
IL 63%
90%
Cholesterol check
IL 87%
71%
Colon screening
IL 60%
72%
Mammogram
IL 74%
80%
Taking BP meds
IL 76%
1 in 18
working-age adults has no health insurance
Vernon 5.6% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Vernon adults are doing

1 in 3Vernon adults feel lonely
30.6% · Illinois 33.5% · too close to call
1 in 5Vernon adults have been diagnosed with depression
21.7% · Illinois 19.8% · too close to call
1 in 5Vernon adults lack social or emotional support
22% · Illinois 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 6Vernon adults are in frequent mental distress
15.4% · 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 10
Vernon adults worry about having enough food
9.8% · IL 15.9% · better
1 in 13
Vernon adults worry about keeping their housing
8% · IL 13.2% · better
1 in 19
Vernon adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.2% · IL 7.8% · better
1 in 18
Vernon adults lack reliable transportation
5.5% · IL 8% · better

9.4% of Vernon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Disability

Living with a disability

29.9%

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

Walking or climbing stairs14.5%
Thinking or memory12.1%
Hearing8.5%
Errands alone7.6%
Vision4.2%
Dressing or bathing3.7%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Vernon

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

HNearest ERFayette County HospitalVandalia · 11.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySalem Township Hospital★★★★★ · 13.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSouthern Illinois Healthcare FoundationVandalia · 12.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
11.7 mi
Fayette County Hospital
Vandalia · not rated
ERRural critical access
12.1 mi
Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation
3 sites · nearest in Vandalia
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
13.4 mi
Salem Township Hospital
Salem · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
18.6 mi
Hshs Holy Family Hospital
Greenville · ★★★★★
ER
18.9 mi
Ssm Health St. Mary's Hospital -Centralia
Centralia · ★★★★★
ER
33.2 mi
Christopher Greater Area Rural Health Planning Corporation
3 sites · nearest in Flora
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary careVernon's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Marion County · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careVernon's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Marion County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthVernon'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 Vernon. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Vernon
MeasureVernonMarginIllinois
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure38.4%33.6–43.2%33%worse
High cholesterol39.9%34.9–45%35.4%about the same
Obesity36%27.7–45.1%34%about the same
Arthritis31.2%27–35.4%24.2%worse
Depression21.7%18.2–25.5%19.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)8.7%6.9–10.8%10.3%about the same
Asthma10.1%8.7–11.5%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)11%9.7–12.5%7.6%worse
Diabetes12.1%10–14.4%11.7%about the same
COPD8.1%6.1–10.3%6.3%about the same
Heart disease7.9%6.6–9.4%5.9%worse
Stroke3.8%3.1–4.5%3.3%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes13.7%10.2–17.5%12.1%about the same
Binge drink17.4%14.2–21.1%17.8%about the same
Get no exercise22.2%16.9–27.6%23%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours32.1%25.4–39.5%35.4%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup80.3%76.5–83.8%77.8%about the same
Dentist visit69.4%65.6–73%63.4%better
Cholesterol check89.8%87.8–91.8%87.4%better
Colon screening71.4%65.7–76.8%60.2%better
Mammogram72.3%63.6–80.3%73.5%about the same
Taking BP meds79.9%76.3–83.1%75.7%better
No health insurance5.6%3.9–8%9.9%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely30.6%25.2–36.4%33.5%about the same
Lack emotional support22%17.7–26.7%25.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress15.4%13.1–17.8%15.6%about the same
Fair or poor health18%14–22.3%18.6%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.8%11.3–16.4%12.2%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity9.8%6.8–13.3%15.9%better
Housing insecurity8%5.9–10.3%13.2%better
Utility shut-off threat5.2%4–6.5%7.8%better
No reliable transportation5.5%4.3–6.9%8%better
Receive SNAP9.4%6.3–12.9%13.8%
Disability
Any disability29.9%24.5–35.4%27.6%
Walking or climbing stairs14.5%11.2–17.9%12.8%
Thinking or memory12.1%9.8–14.8%12.6%
Hearing8.5%7.2–9.9%6.2%
Vision4.2%3.3–5.2%4.8%
Dressing or bathing3.7%2.8–4.6%3.5%
Errands alone7.6%6–9.3%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 Vernon door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Illinois figure falls inside it, we don't call Vernon better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Vernon 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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