Photo: Busjack · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Riverwoods is healthier than 19%
Riverwoods differs from Illinois on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 22 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Riverwoods. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Riverwoods
Against towns with similar incomes, Riverwoods’ lead shrinks
Riverwoods is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns, but 19% of the 440 towns with similar household incomes ($187K–$312K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and high cholesterol run high in Riverwoods
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.4%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 2 in 5 adults have high cholesterol (41.4%), vs 35.4% across Illinois. Conditions ↓
Riverwoods keeps up with checkups
It beats Illinois on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (81.7% vs 77.8%) and dentist visits (77.1% vs 63.4%). Checkups ↓
Riverwoods is an active town
Only 14.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23% across Illinois. The town has 11 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves. 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 Riverwoods’ likely range.
What’s behind Riverwoods’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Riverwoods is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns, #58 of 767 in Illinois. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 67%.
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). Riverwoods’ median household income is $249,205; among the 440 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($187K–$312K), it’s healthier than 19%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Riverwoods adults…
Riverwoods runs below IL on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Riverwoods adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
11 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Care in and near Riverwoods
No hospital or community health center in Riverwoods 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 Riverwoods; ≈ 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).
How Riverwoods adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Riverwoods does better than Illinois.
1 in 4 Riverwoods 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.
4.7% of Riverwoods adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Riverwoods and the towns around it
Riverwoods’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverwoods | A+ | 29% | 11% | 6.9% | CDC place |
| Lincolnshire | A+ | 26.3% | 10.6% | 6.1% | CDC place |
| Buffalo Grove | A+ | 26.3% | 9.5% | 7.7% | CDC place |
| Deerfield | A+ | 28.7% | 8.7% | 6.6% | CDC place |
| Bannockburn | A+ | 25.8% | 7.6% | 5.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Riverwoods adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Riverwoods
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Riverwoods is better than Illinois on 22 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Riverwoods’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Riverwoods | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.9%10.1–13.8 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.6%8.3–11 | 12.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 11%9.5–12.5 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29%24.2–33.8 | 34% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 11%9.5–12.6 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.9%32.1–39.4 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.4%37.4–45.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 26.6%23.5–29.6 | 24.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 8.8%7.7–9.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.4%10.3–12.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.6–7.1 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.1%4.3–6.1 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.8%5.5–8.3 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6.9%5.5–8.4 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 14.8%12.1–17.6 | 23% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%11.9–16.7 | 17.8% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.7%22.6–31.5 | 35.4% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.7%2.9–4.6 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.7%78.6–84.3 | 77.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.1%74.3–79.9 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.5%91.3–93.6 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.4%77.2–83.1 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.8%65.5–74.1 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.6%72.2–84.4 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.4%14.7–20.1 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 25.7%22–29.7 | 33.5% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.6%14.9–20.6 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.7%4.5–7.1 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 4.9%4–5.9 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.3%2.7–3.9 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.6%3–4.2 | 8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.7%3.5–6 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 20.8%17.8–24 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.3%8.7–11.9 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 7.8%6.6–9 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6–7.7 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.1%2.7–3.5 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.9%4.3–5.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.1–2.8 | 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 Riverwoods
Is Riverwoods a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Riverwoods is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #58 of 767 in Illinois. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Riverwoods?
CDC estimates 29% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.2% and 33.8%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Riverwoods?
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital in Lake Forest, 6.1 miles in a straight line from Riverwoods’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Riverwoods have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.9–4.6%), 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 Riverwoods 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 Riverwoods.
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.