Photo: Cosmo1976 · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Harvard is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns
Harvard differs from Illinois on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Harvard. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Harvard
Making ends meet is harder in Harvard
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (22%), vs 15.9% across Illinois. Housing insecurity (17.9% vs 13.2%) and no reliable transportation (10.4% vs 8%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 6 working-age adults in Harvard has no health insurance
18.1% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 9.9% across Illinois. Checkups ↓
Dental care lags in Harvard
55.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.4% across Illinois. Among those 65 and older, 15% have lost all their teeth (Illinois 10.3%). Checkups ↓
Harvard is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Harvard is healthier than 46%. Against the 10,291 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 61%. 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 Harvard’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Harvard’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Harvard is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns, #513 of 767 in Illinois. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 61% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 26%).
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). Harvard’s median household income is $67,617; among the 10,291 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 61%, about where its income would put it.
Where Harvard compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.1% (U.S. 7.9%); stroke, 2.9% (U.S. 3.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.8% of Harvard adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Keeping up with care
Share of Harvard adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Out of every 100 Harvard adults…
Harvard runs below IL on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Harvard residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Illinois. Stroke and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Harvard
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Harvard, 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 Harvard; ≈ 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.
2.5 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
How Harvard adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Harvard 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.
Harvard and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Harvard adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Harvard
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Harvard is better than Illinois on 2 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Harvard’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Harvard | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.8%19.8–25.9 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%11.9–15.4 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.3–19.5 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.2%29.6–43 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.4%9.8–13.1 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.5%27.8–35.2 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.8%28.8–36.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.6%19.8–25.3 | 24.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.4–6.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.8–6 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.3%5.4–7.1 | 6.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.7–3.2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15%12–18.3 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.9%11.7–16.1 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.5%23.9–32.9 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.6%15.5–22.2 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.8%27.9–40 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 18.1%15.1–21.3 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.4%69.3–77.3 | 77.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.7%51.8–59.6 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83%80.6–85.2 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.5%67.1–73.7 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.1%49.7–60.4 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.2%62.6–78.8 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.3%18–24.8 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.5%30.7–40.4 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.9%23.3–30.7 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22%18.8–25.1 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.9%15.5–20.4 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.7%8.4–11.1 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.4%9.1–11.8 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.8%15.2–20.6 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.5%27.1–35.7 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.2%11.3–15 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.7%13.7–17.7 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.5–7 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.6–9.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Harvard
Is Harvard a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Harvard is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #513 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 61%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Harvard?
CDC estimates 36.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.6% and 43%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Harvard?
Mercy Harvard Hospital in Harvard, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Harvard’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Harvard have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 18.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15.1–21.3%), 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 Harvard more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Harvard.
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.