Photo: MrHarman at English Wikipedia · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Kankakee is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns
Kankakee differs from Illinois on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 23 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kankakee. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kankakee
Dental care lags in Kankakee
48.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.4% across Illinois. Among those 65 and older, 22.6% have lost all their teeth (Illinois 10.3%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Kankakee
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (31.6%), about twice the Illinois rate. Utility shut-off threats (16.7% vs 7.8%) and no reliable transportation (15.2% vs 8%) are higher too. 32.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Kankakee adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (33.1%), vs 23% across Illinois. Habits ↓
Kankakee has a top-rated hospital
Presence St. Marys Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Kankakee’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Kankakee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kankakee is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns, #762 of 767 in Illinois. All seven of Kankakee’s estimates fall in the lowest 15% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is obesity: 46.5% of adults, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
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). Kankakee’s median household income is $47,514; among the 4,842 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$59K), it’s healthier than 16%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Kankakee compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.6% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Kankakee adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
32.8% of Kankakee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
5.2 miles of trails across 25 parks and preserves
Care in and near Kankakee
2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Kankakee, 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 Kankakee; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Kankakee adults…
Kankakee runs below IL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 9. Tap one to see it as people.
How Kankakee adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Kankakee runs above Illinois.
2 in 5 Kankakee 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.
Kankakee and the towns around it
Kankakee’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee | D | 46.5% | 17.2% | 19.1% | CDC place |
| Bradley | C+ | 40% | 12% | 16.1% | CDC place |
| Kankakee Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Aroma Township | C+ | 39.8% | 13.9% | 14.9% | ZIP codes |
Kankakee Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Kankakee adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Kankakee
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Kankakee is better than Illinois on 1 and worse on 23; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Kankakee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Kankakee | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.5%26.3–32.9 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.9–19 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.7%17.4–22.2 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 46.5%38.4–55.3 | 34% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 17.2%15–19.6 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.7%38.3–47.3 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.8%33.4–42.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28%24.7–31.5 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.3–13.4 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.7%7–8.6 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.7%8.7–10.8 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.9%4.5–5.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.6%18.8–26.7 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.1%16.5–21.8 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33.1%28.2–38.7 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.2–18.2 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 46%38.5–53.4 | 35.4% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.4%13.3–17.7 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%74.7–82.1 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 48.3%44.3–52.4 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.9%81.8–85.9 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.7%73.8–79.5 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.2%50.5–61.7 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.6%60.5–77.6 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.4%17–24.1 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.1%32.4–43.5 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.5%27.2–35.8 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31.6%28.2–34.9 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 24.1%21.3–26.7 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 16.7%14.7–18.6 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.2%13.6–16.9 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 32.8%29.5–35.8 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.3%33.7–43.3 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.3%17.9–22.8 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.2%16.2–20.4 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.9%8.2–9.7 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.4%11.1–13.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.6%6.1–7.2 | 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 Kankakee
Is Kankakee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kankakee is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns: D for health, #762 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 16%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Kankakee?
CDC estimates 46.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.4% and 55.3%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Kankakee?
Presence St. Marys Hospital in Kankakee, 1.4 miles in a straight line from Kankakee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Kankakee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.3–17.7%), 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 Kankakee more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Kankakee.
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.