Photo: Andy McMurray · CC BY 2.5Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Bull Valley is healthier than 11%
Bull Valley differs from Illinois on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bull Valley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bull Valley
Against towns with similar incomes, Bull Valley’s lead shrinks
Bull Valley is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns, but 11% of the 1,089 towns with similar household incomes ($143K–$239K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Bull Valley
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.5%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.9%), vs 24.2% across Illinois. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.1%, vs 5.9% across Illinois. In all, Bull Valley runs above Illinois on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Illinois 17%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Bull Valley keeps up with checkups
It beats Illinois on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (72.5% vs 63.4%) and cholesterol checks (90.9% vs 87.4%). Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in Bull Valley, and more people treating it
38.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Illinois 33%), but 80.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Bull Valley is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its A− tops all five graded neighbors. The closest is McHenry (B+). 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 Bull Valley’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Bull Valley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bull Valley is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 92% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 54%.
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). Bull Valley’s median household income is $191,250; among the 1,089 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($143K–$239K), it’s healthier than 11%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Bull Valley adults…
Bull Valley runs above IL on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Bull Valley is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Illinois. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Bull Valley as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bull Valley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Bull Valley and the towns around it
Bull Valley has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bull Valley | A− | 30.8% | 11.8% | 10.6% | CDC place |
| Wonder Lake | B+ | 33.8% | 10.5% | 13.7% | CDC place |
| Woodstock | B+ | 33.8% | 10.9% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| McHenry | B+ | 32.7% | 10.6% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| McHenry Township | B+ | 33.3% | 10.8% | 13% | ZIP codes |
| Greenwood Township | B+ | 33.5% | 11% | 12.7% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Bull Valley
No hospital or community health center in Bull Valley 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 Bull Valley; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
2.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How Bull Valley adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Bull Valley does better than Illinois.
3 in 10 Bull Valley 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.8% of Bull Valley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bull Valley adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bull Valley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bull Valley is better than Illinois on 13 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Bull Valley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bull Valley | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.7%13.4–18.3 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.6–13.9 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.9–15.5 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.8%24.8–37.4 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.1–13.7 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.9%34.6–43.4 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.6%36.1–45.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.9%28.2–35.7 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.5–10.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.5%10.4–12.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.3–8 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 6.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.4%6.6–10.5 | 10.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.6%8.8–12.6 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.8%16.3–23.8 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%13.7–19.7 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.9%22.7–33.5 | 35.4% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.4%4.4–6.4 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.9%77.6–83.8 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.5%69.2–75.7 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.9%89.6–92.1 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.2%76.9–83.2 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.2%65.2–74.9 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.4%67.5–82.1 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.7%17.6–24.2 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%24.9–34.1 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.8%17.6–24.1 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.1%6.7–9.8 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.8%5.7–8.1 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.2%3.6–4.9 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.7%4.1–5.4 | 8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.8%5.5–8.3 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27%23.1–31.2 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.6%10.7–14.6 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.3%9–11.9 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.7–8.6 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–4.1 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.5–7.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.4 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Bull Valley
Is Bull Valley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bull Valley is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns: A− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bull Valley?
CDC estimates 30.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.8% and 37.4%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bull Valley?
Northwestern Medicine Mchenry in Mchenry, 4.3 miles in a straight line from Bull Valley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bull Valley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–6.4%), 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 Bull Valley more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bull Valley.
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.