Photo: David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Park Forest is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns
Park Forest differs from Illinois on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Park Forest. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Park Forest
Making ends meet is harder in Park Forest
1 in 6 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off (15.8%), about twice the Illinois rate. Food insecurity (28.5% vs 15.9%) and housing insecurity (23.5% vs 13.2%) are higher too. 29.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Park Forest adults lack emotional support
1 in 3 adults lack social or emotional support (31.3%), vs 25.4% across Illinois. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 17.6%, vs 15.6% across Illinois. Mind & connection ↓
Stroke, diabetes and asthma run high in Park Forest
1 in 22 adults have had a stroke (4.6%), vs 3.3% across Illinois. 1 in 6 adults have diabetes (15.6%), vs 11.7% across Illinois. Asthma is also above the state: 12.3%, vs 9.9% across Illinois. In all, Park Forest runs above Illinois on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Park Forest is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Park Forest is healthier than 30%. Against the 9,187 towns with similar household incomes ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 45%. 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 Park Forest’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Park Forest’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Park Forest is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #640 of 767 in Illinois. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 57% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Park Forest’s median household income is $61,072; among the 9,187 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 45%, about where its income would put it.
Where Park Forest compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.2% (U.S. 7.9%); checkup in the past year, 81.5% (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.
29.2% of Park Forest adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
How Park Forest adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Park Forest runs above Illinois.
4 in 10 Park Forest 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.
Out of every 100 Park Forest adults…
Park Forest runs below IL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Park Forest
No hospital or community health center in Park Forest 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 Park Forest; ≈ 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.
3.1 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Park Forest adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Park Forest and the towns around it
Park Forest’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Forest | C | 40.2% | 15.6% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| University Park | C | 48% | 14.2% | 14.1% | CDC place |
| Matteson | B | 36.2% | 14.3% | 11% | CDC place |
| Richton Park | B | 37.6% | 13.8% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| Monee Township | C+ | 41.9% | 12.9% | 13.4% | ZIP codes |
| Chicago Heights | C | 38.1% | 15.4% | 14.8% | CDC place |
| Olympia Fields | B+ | 34.6% | 16.9% | 9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Park Forest adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Park Forest
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Park Forest is better than Illinois on 3 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Park Forest’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Park Forest | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.5%22.3–26.6 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12.5–15 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%16.1–19.2 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.2%36.6–43.7 | 34% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.6%14–17 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.1%37.4–42.5 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%31.7–36.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.6%24.5–28.6 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.3%11.1–13.4 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.2%5.7–6.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.8%6.9–8.6 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.3–5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.2%15.6–21.2 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.7–16.1 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.3%25.4–31.2 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.7%13–16.4 | 17.8% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.2%39.7–46.8 | 35.4% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.2%8.9–11.5 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.5%79.4–83.4 | 77.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.2%53.2–59.2 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.4%87.1–89.6 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.7%75.4–79.6 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.6%57.1–64.2 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%70.9–80.4 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.9%16.8–20.9 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.3%34.4–40.4 | 33.5% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.3%28.5–34.2 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 28.5%25.9–31.3 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 23.5%21.3–25.9 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.8%14.2–17.6 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.8%12.4–15.4 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 29.2%26.2–32.3 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.3%29.6–35 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.4%15.7–19 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%13.3–16.3 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.8–5.9 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%6.5–7.7 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%9.6–11.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 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 Park Forest
Is Park Forest a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Park Forest is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #640 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 45%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Park Forest?
CDC estimates 40.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.6% and 43.7%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Park Forest?
Franciscan Health Olympia & Chicago Heights in Olympia Fields, 3.2 miles in a straight line from Park Forest’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Park Forest have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.9–11.5%), 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 Park Forest 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 Park Forest.
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.