Photo: KWayne1 · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Sterling is healthier than 60%
Sterling trails Illinois on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sterling. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sterling
COPD, heart disease and arthritis run high in Sterling
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.2%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.5%), vs 5.9% across Illinois. Arthritis is also above the state: 29%, vs 24.2% across Illinois. In all, Sterling runs above Illinois on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Sterling adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (27.8%), vs 23% across Illinois. Habits ↓
Smoking is more common in Sterling
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (14.8%), vs 12.1% across Illinois. Habits ↓
Sterling is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sterling is healthier than 35%. Against the 8,130 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 60%. 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 Sterling’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Sterling’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns, #604 of 767 in Illinois. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 51% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 25%).
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). Sterling’s median household income is $57,350; among the 8,130 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 60%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Sterling adults…
Sterling runs above IL on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
2.8 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Care in and near Sterling
1 hospital in Sterling, 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 Sterling; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Sterling adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Sterling adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Sterling 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.
16.5% of Sterling adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Sterling and the towns around it
Sterling’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling | C+ | 37.4% | 13.8% | 14.8% | CDC place |
| Coloma Township | C | 38% | 14.3% | 16.6% | ZIP codes |
| Sterling Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Hopkins Township | C+ | 36.5% | 13.4% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Rock Falls | C− | 38.6% | 14.4% | 17.2% | CDC place |
| Galt | — | — | — | — |
Sterling Township: not graded. Galt: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sterling adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sterling
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sterling is better than Illinois on 0 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Sterling’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sterling | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.8%20.1–25.7 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.3–16.9 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%15.2–19.1 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.4%29.7–45.9 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.8%12–15.8 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.8%32.6–41.2 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.3%33.9–43 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29%25.7–32.6 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8.1–9.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.2%7.3–9.2 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.9%12–18.2 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.8%12.8–17.1 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.8%23.5–32.6 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%13.9–20.4 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.8%28.6–42.9 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.2%10.6–14.1 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78%74.2–81.5 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.2%55.2–63.2 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%84.1–87.8 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.1%75.1–80.9 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62%56.2–67.2 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.3%59.6–77.3 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.3%18–25 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.6%27.3–38.4 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.2%21.4–29.4 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.6%15.1–20.3 | 15.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.9%12–16.1 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.5%7.4–9.8 | 7.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.9%7.8–10.1 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.5%14.2–19.1 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.4%29.3–38 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.3%14.3–18.5 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%13.1–16.6 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.3–9.2 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.6–6.7 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8.3–10.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4–4.8 | 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 Sterling
Is Sterling a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #604 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 Sterling?
CDC estimates 37.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.7% and 45.9%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sterling?
CGH Medical Center in Sterling, 0.1 miles in a straight line from Sterling’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sterling have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.6–14.1%), 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 Sterling 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 Sterling.
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.