Photo: Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Chicago Heights is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns
Chicago Heights differs from Illinois on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Chicago Heights. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chicago Heights
Making ends meet is harder in Chicago Heights
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (33%), about twice the Illinois rate. Utility shut-off threats (16.2% vs 7.8%) and housing insecurity (26.1% vs 13.2%) are higher too. 31.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Chicago Heights
52.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.4% across Illinois. Among those 65 and older, 16.4% have lost all their teeth (Illinois 10.3%). Checkups ↓
More Chicago Heights adults lack emotional support
1 in 3 adults lack social or emotional support (31.1%), vs 25.4% across Illinois. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 17.4%, vs 15.6% across Illinois. Mind & connection ↓
Health varies a lot right around Chicago Heights
Grades next door run from Flossmoor (A) to South Chicago Heights (C−). Chicago Heights is a C. Around town ↓
Chicago Heights is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Chicago Heights is healthier than 26%. Against the 7,358 towns with similar household incomes ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 50%. Health Grade ↓
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 Chicago Heights’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Chicago Heights’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chicago Heights is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns, #664 of 767 in Illinois. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 50% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health 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). Chicago Heights’ median household income is $54,798; among the 7,358 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 50%, about where its income would put it.
Where Chicago Heights compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.7% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
31.1% of Chicago Heights adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Keeping up with care
Share of Chicago Heights adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Chicago Heights adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Chicago Heights runs above Illinois.
4 in 10 Chicago Heights 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.
Chicago Heights and the towns around it
Chicago Heights’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Heights | C | 38.1% | 15.4% | 14.8% | CDC place |
| Glenwood | B− | 38% | 15.4% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| Flossmoor | A | 31.3% | 11.9% | 8% | CDC place |
| Olympia Fields | B+ | 34.6% | 16.9% | 9% | CDC place |
| South Chicago Heights | C− | 36.7% | 14.5% | 16.2% | CDC place |
| Park Forest | C | 40.2% | 15.6% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Steger | C− | 40.3% | 13.2% | 16.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Chicago Heights adults…
Chicago Heights runs below IL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Chicago Heights
3 community health centers in Chicago Heights, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Chicago Heights; ≈ 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.
2.7 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Chicago Heights adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chicago Heights
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chicago Heights is better than Illinois on 1 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Chicago Heights’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chicago Heights | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.3%24.9–29.6 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%13.2–16 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.7–19 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.1%34.3–41.6 | 34% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.4%13.8–16.9 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.2%33.5–38.5 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%31.6–36.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.9%21.8–25.8 | 24.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.9–12.2 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.7%5.2–6.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.8–7 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%4–4.7 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.4%13.8–19.3 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.8%13.1–16.6 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.2%28–34.3 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.1%14.2–18 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.1%37.4–44.8 | 35.4% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 18%15.9–20.2 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.1%75.6–80.4 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.4%49.2–55.6 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.9%84.4–87.4 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.2%72.7–77.5 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.4%51.5–59.3 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.2%66.3–77.6 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.7%16.5–20.8 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.2%34–40.4 | 33.5% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.1%28.1–34 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 33%30.4–35.7 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 26.1%23.8–28.4 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 16.2%14.5–17.9 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.3%13.9–16.8 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 31.1%28.2–34 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.1%31.1–36.9 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.6%15.9–19.2 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%14.6–17.9 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.4–6.7 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.4%7.7–9.1 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11%10–12.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6%5.5–6.5 | 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 Chicago Heights
Is Chicago Heights a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chicago Heights is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #664 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 50%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chicago Heights?
CDC estimates 38.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.3% and 41.6%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chicago Heights?
Franciscan Health Olympia & Chicago Heights in Olympia Fields, 4.2 miles in a straight line from Chicago Heights’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chicago Heights have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 18% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15.9–20.2%), 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 Chicago Heights more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Chicago Heights.
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.