Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Ford Heights is healthier than 82%
Ford Heights differs from Illinois on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ford Heights. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ford Heights
Making ends meet is harder in Ford Heights
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (34.1%), about twice the Illinois rate. Utility shut-off threats (18.1% vs 7.8%) and housing insecurity (27.4% vs 13.2%) are higher too. 34.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure run high in Ford Heights
1 in 19 adults have had a stroke (5.3%), vs 3.3% across Illinois. 1 in 6 adults have diabetes (17.5%), vs 11.7% across Illinois. High blood pressure is also above the state: 43.3%, vs 33% across Illinois. In all, Ford Heights runs above Illinois on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Ford Heights
53.8% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.4% across Illinois. Among those 65 and older, 17.8% have lost all their teeth (Illinois 10.3%). Checkups ↓
Ford Heights is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Ford Heights is healthier than 22%. Against the 1,441 towns with similar household incomes ($27K–$45K), it’s healthier than 82%. 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 Ford Heights’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Ford Heights’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ford Heights is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 56% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Ford Heights’ median household income is $36,053; among the 1,441 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($27K–$45K), it’s healthier than 82%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Ford Heights compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5% (U.S. 7.9%); binge drinking, 13.7% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 82.3% (U.S. 77.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
34.6% of Ford Heights adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Out of every 100 Ford Heights adults…
Ford Heights runs below IL on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ford Heights adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Care in and near Ford Heights
No hospital or community health center in Ford Heights 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 Ford Heights; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Ford Heights adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Ford Heights runs above Illinois.
2 in 5 Ford 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.
Ford Heights and the towns around it
Ford Heights’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Heights | C− | 41.3% | 17.5% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| Sauk Village | D | 42.7% | 16.8% | 19.1% | CDC place |
| Lynwood | C | 38.7% | 16.2% | 14.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ford Heights adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ford Heights
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ford Heights is better than Illinois on 5 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Ford Heights’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ford Heights | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.7%23–30.5 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%12–15.6 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.5–20.1 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.3%37.3–45.2 | 34% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 17.5%15.6–19.4 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43.3%40.4–46.1 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.7%31–36.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.9%23.6–28.1 | 24.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.5%11.1–13.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5%4.4–5.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.6%6.4–9 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.3%4.7–6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.8%14.8–21 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%12.6–18.3 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.5%26.2–34.7 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11.9–15.3 | 17.8% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 45.1%41.2–49 | 35.4% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.8%8.4–13.8 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.3%79.9–84.4 | 77.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.8%50.4–57 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.2%86.1–90.2 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.3%75.9–80.4 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.4%57.5–65.3 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.6%70.9–81.6 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.1%15–19.3 | 19.8% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 39.6%36.1–43.1 | 33.5% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 35.6%31.8–39.4 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 34.1%29–39.4 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 27.4%23.6–31.3 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 18.1%15.5–20.7 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.8%13.5–18.3 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 34.6%29–40.3 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.9%30–37.9 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.9%16.3–21.5 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.4%12.9–17.9 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.9%4.3–5.5 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 8%6.9–9.2 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.4%9.6–13.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.3%5.4–7.3 | 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 Ford Heights
Is Ford Heights a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ford Heights is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− 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 Ford Heights?
CDC estimates 41.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.3% and 45.2%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ford Heights?
Franciscan Health Dyer in Dyer, 3.2 miles in a straight line from Ford Heights’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ford Heights have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.4–13.8%), 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 Ford 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 Ford 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.