Photo: User:Visviva · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Chatham is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
Chatham beats Illinois on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Chatham. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chatham
Chatham is an active town
Only 15.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23% across Illinois. Habits ↓
Stroke and diabetes are less common in Chatham
Chatham runs below Illinois on four chronic conditions, most of all stroke (2.3% vs 3.3%), diabetes (8.3% vs 11.7%) and COPD (4.7% vs 6.3%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (Illinois 17%). Conditions ↓
Fewer Chatham adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Illinois. 1 in 13 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Chatham is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its A tops all five graded neighbors. The closest is Chatham Township (A−). 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 Chatham’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Chatham’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chatham is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #101 of 767 in Illinois. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 97% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 57%.
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). Chatham’s median household income is $106,773; among the 7,650 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($80K–$133K), it’s healthier than 92%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Chatham adults…
Chatham runs below IL on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Chatham residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Illinois. Heart disease, COPD and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.6% of Chatham adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Chatham and the towns around it
Chatham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham | A | 35.2% | 8.3% | 9.7% | CDC place |
| Capital Township | B− | 40.2% | 12.6% | 14.2% | ZIP codes |
| Springfield | C+ | 41.1% | 12.9% | 14.7% | CDC place |
| Ball Township | B+ | 37.6% | 10.4% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
| Chatham Township | A− | 36.8% | 9.5% | 11.6% | ZIP codes |
| Woodside Township | B+ | 38.5% | 12% | 12.4% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Chatham
No hospital or community health center in Chatham 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 Chatham; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Chatham adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Chatham adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Chatham does better than Illinois.
1 in 3 Chatham 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Chatham adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chatham
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chatham is better than Illinois on 17 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Chatham’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chatham | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.4%10.4–14.5 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.1%8.7–11.6 | 12.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.1–17 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%28.2–43 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.3%7.1–9.6 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.7%25.9–33.8 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33%29–37.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.2%20.3–26.4 | 24.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.2 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.5–9.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.5%4–5.1 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4–5.4 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.4%5–8 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.7%7.9–11.7 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.7%12.6–19.2 | 23% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.4%17–24.2 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7%26.6–39.7 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5%4–6.1 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.3%74.7–81.7 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.5%68.1–74.8 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.1%87.4–90.5 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.8%70.3–77 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.5%61.5–71.4 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.7%67.7–82.8 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21%17.8–24.6 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.4%26.6–36.7 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.4%18.1–25 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.8%6.3–9.5 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.7%6.4–9.2 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.8%4–5.6 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.8%4.1–5.6 | 8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.6%5.3–8.1 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22%18.5–25.8 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.9%7.4–10.4 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.2%8.8–11.8 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.1%4.5–5.8 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.8%2.5–3.2 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.5%4.8–6.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.3%2–2.5 | 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 Chatham
Is Chatham a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chatham is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #101 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 92%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chatham?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.2% and 43%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chatham?
St. Johns Hospital in Springfield, 9.5 miles in a straight line from Chatham’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chatham have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4–6.1%), 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 Chatham 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 Chatham.
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.