Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Bellwood is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns
Bellwood differs from Illinois on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bellwood. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bellwood
Making ends meet is harder in Bellwood
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (30.6%), about twice the Illinois rate. Utility shut-off threats (15.3% vs 7.8%) and housing insecurity (25.5% vs 13.2%) are higher too. 28.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Bellwood
53.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.4% across Illinois. Among those 65 and older, 17.2% have lost all their teeth (Illinois 10.3%). Checkups ↓
More Bellwood adults lack emotional support
1 in 3 adults lack social or emotional support (34.1%), vs 25.4% across Illinois. Loneliness is above the state too: 38.6%, vs 33.5% across Illinois. Mind & connection ↓
Health varies a lot right around Bellwood
Grades next door run from Westchester (A) to Maywood (C−). Bellwood is a C+. Around town ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Illinois figure falls outside Bellwood’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind Bellwood’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bellwood is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns, #605 of 767 in Illinois. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 64% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 10%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Bellwood’s median household income is $79,513; among the 10,773 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$99K), it’s healthier than 29%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Bellwood compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.9% (U.S. 7.9%); ever told they have depression, 16.8% (U.S. 20.6%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
28.2% of Bellwood adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bellwood adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Bellwood adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Bellwood runs above Illinois.
2 in 5 Bellwood adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Bellwood and the towns around it
Bellwood’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 6 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellwood | C+ | 38.9% | 16% | 13.6% | CDC place |
| Hillside | B | 34.1% | 13.4% | 11.6% | CDC place |
| Berkeley | B | 34.1% | 13.4% | 12.3% | CDC place |
| Maywood | C− | 39.6% | 16.4% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Melrose Park | C+ | 34.6% | 13.2% | 13.2% | CDC place |
| Westchester | A | 28.9% | 11.3% | 9.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Bellwood adults…
Bellwood runs below IL on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Bellwood
No hospital or community health center in Bellwood itself. These are the nearest.
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 Bellwood; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
0.5 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bellwood adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bellwood
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bellwood is better than Illinois on 3 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Bellwood’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bellwood | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.1%22.7–27.6 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%12–14.7 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%15.1–18.3 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.9%35.1–42.5 | 34% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16%14.3–17.7 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 38.8%36.2–41.3 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.7%31.1–36.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.1%22–26.1 | 24.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.4–12.8 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.9%4.4–5.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%5.8–7.4 | 6.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.5%4.2–4.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.2%14.4–20.3 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.6%11.9–15.4 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.2%26.1–32.3 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.2%13.4–17 | 17.8% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.1%40.3–48 | 35.4% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.4%12.5–16.5 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.2%77.8–82.3 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.1%49.8–56.3 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.2%86.7–89.5 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.4%75–79.5 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.5%54.7–62.3 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.9%72.6–82.5 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.8%14.8–18.9 | 19.8% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 38.6%35.3–41.8 | 33.5% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 34.1%30.9–37.3 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 30.6%27.3–33.6 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 25.5%22.9–28.1 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.3%13.5–17.1 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.9%12.4–15.4 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 28.2%24.8–31.4 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.8%28.8–34.7 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17%15.3–18.8 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%13–16.3 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 7.2%6.6–8 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.9%8.9–11 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%5–6.1 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Illinois figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bellwood
Is Bellwood a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bellwood is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #605 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 29%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bellwood?
CDC estimates 38.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.1% and 42.5%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bellwood?
Loyola Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park, 2.4 miles in a straight line from Bellwood’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bellwood have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.5–16.5%), against 9.9% across Illinois.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Bellwood more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bellwood.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Illinois figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.