Photo: Madcoverboy · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Evanston is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns
Evanston beats Illinois on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Evanston. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Evanston
Evanston has a five-star hospital
Northshore University Healthsystem - Evanston Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Evanston
Evanston runs below Illinois on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.3% vs 6.3%), heart disease (4.3% vs 5.9%) and diabetes (8.6% vs 11.7%). Conditions ↓
Evanston is an active town
Only 16.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23% across Illinois. The town has 12 miles of trails across 64 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Few Evanston adults smoke
7.7% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 12.1% across Illinois. Habits ↓
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 Evanston’s likely range.
What’s behind Evanston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Evanston is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns, #42 of 767 in Illinois. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 98% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 88%.
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). Evanston’s median household income is $96,434; among the 9,113 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$121K), it’s healthier than 99%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Evanston
2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Evanston, 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 Evanston; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Evanston adults…
Evanston runs below IL on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
12 miles of trails across 64 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Evanston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Evanston adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Evanston 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.
9.9% of Evanston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Evanston and the towns around it
Evanston’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evanston | A+ | 26.3% | 8.6% | 7.7% | CDC place |
| Niles Township | A | 24.4% | 11.5% | 9.2% | ZIP codes |
| Skokie | A | 25.1% | 11.6% | 9.7% | CDC place |
| New Trier Township | A+ | 23.6% | 8.2% | 5.8% | ZIP codes |
| Wilmette | A+ | 23% | 8.6% | 5.7% | CDC place |
| Chicago | B+ | 32.6% | 12% | 11.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Evanston adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Evanston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Evanston is better than Illinois on 19 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Evanston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Evanston | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.7%12.4–15.1 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.3%8.4–10.2 | 12.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.8–15.6 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.3%23.2–29.2 | 34% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.6–9.5 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 26.7%24.5–28.8 | 33% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.3%29.7–34.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 19.9%18.1–21.6 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.7–10.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.1%6.5–7.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.3%3.9–4.7 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.3%3.9–4.8 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.7 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.4%6.1–8.8 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.7%6.8–8.7 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.9%14.9–18.9 | 23% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.4%17.2–21.5 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.8%29.5–36.3 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%6–7.8 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.7%75.2–80 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.7%65.9–71.4 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%86.4–89.1 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.4%70.8–75.7 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.6%59.9–67.1 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.2%71.9–81.8 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.5%17.2–21.6 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.1%30.2–36.1 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.3%20.9–25.8 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.5%11.2–13.9 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.4%9.3–11.6 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.1%5.4–6.9 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%6.2–7.7 | 8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.9%8.7–11.3 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.4%20.2–24.6 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.1%8.1–10.1 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.7%9.6–11.8 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.3–2.7 | 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 Evanston
Is Evanston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Evanston is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #42 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Evanston?
CDC estimates 26.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.2% and 29.2%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Evanston?
Northshore University Healthsystem - Evanston Hospital in Evanston, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Evanston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Evanston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6–7.8%), 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 Evanston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Evanston.
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.