Photo: Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Thornton Township is healthier than 52%
Thornton Township differs from Illinois on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 20 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 60473, 60409, 60426, 60438. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Thornton Township
Making ends meet is harder in Thornton Township
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (30.2%), about twice the Illinois rate. Utility shut-off threats (15.9% vs 7.8%) and housing insecurity (24.5% vs 13.2%) are higher too. 29.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Thornton Township
54.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.4% across Illinois. Among those 65 and older, 17.1% have lost all their teeth (Illinois 10.3%). Checkups ↓
Stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure run high in Thornton Township
1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.7%), vs 3.3% across Illinois. 1 in 6 adults have diabetes (16%), vs 11.7% across Illinois. High blood pressure is also above the state: 39.6%, vs 33% across Illinois. In all, Thornton Township runs above Illinois on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Health varies a lot right around Thornton Township
Grades next door run from Thornton (A−) to Riverdale (D−). Thornton Township is a C. Around town ↓
Thornton Township is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Thornton Township is healthier than 31%. Against the 8,523 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 52%. 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 Thornton Township’s likely range; Thornton Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 60473, 60409, 60426, 60438, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Thornton Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Thornton Township is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns, #631 of 767 in Illinois. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 56% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Thornton Township’s median household income is $58,534; among the 8,523 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 52%, about where its income would put it.
Where Thornton Township compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.9% (U.S. 7.9%); checkup in the past year, 80.9% (U.S. 77.4%).
At 152,667 residents, Thornton Township is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
29.7% of Thornton Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Keeping up with care
Share of Thornton Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Out of every 100 Thornton Township adults…
Thornton Township runs below IL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
Thornton Township and the towns around it
Thornton Township’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thornton Township | C | 38.7% | 16% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Bremen Township | B | 33.2% | 12.5% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
| Chicago | B+ | 32.6% | 12% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Burnham | C− | 40.2% | 16.9% | 15.6% | CDC place |
| Bloom Township | C | 38.3% | 15.2% | 14.6% | ZIP codes |
| Calumet Township | D | 42.5% | 17.2% | 17.6% | ZIP codes |
| Thornton | A− | 31% | 11.4% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Lansing | B− | 35.5% | 13.4% | 12.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Thornton Township
1 hospital and 3 community health centers in Thornton Township, 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 Thornton Township; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
21 miles of trails across 86 parks and preserves
How Thornton Township adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Thornton Township runs above Illinois.
4 in 10 Thornton Township 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Thornton Township adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Thornton Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Thornton Township is better than Illinois on 3 and worse on 20; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Thornton Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Thornton Township | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.3%23–27.7 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%12.5–15.2 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.4–18.7 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.7%34.9–42.2 | 34% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16%14.4–17.6 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.6%36.9–42.2 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.7%32–37.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.7%23.6–27.8 | 24.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.6–13 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.4–6.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.7–7 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.5%6.7–8.4 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.4–5.1 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.1%14.3–20.1 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.6–16.3 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29%25.9–32.1 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15%13.2–16.8 | 17.8% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.8%39.1–46.6 | 35.4% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.5%10.8–14.2 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.9%78.5–82.9 | 77.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.1%50.9–57.2 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.2%86.7–89.5 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.6%75.2–79.7 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.7%54.7–62.5 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%70.3–80.7 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.1%16–20.2 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.4%34.3–40.6 | 33.5% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32%29–35.1 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 30.2%27.5–33 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 24.5%22.1–26.9 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.9%14.2–17.7 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.2%12.7–15.7 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 29.7%26.6–32.7 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.7%29.7–35.5 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.7%16–19.4 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.9%13.3–16.5 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.8–6 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 7.5%6.9–8.2 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%9.6–11.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.9%5.3–6.4 | 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 Thornton Township
Is Thornton Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Thornton Township is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #631 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 Thornton Township?
CDC estimates 38.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.9% and 42.2%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Thornton Township?
Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, 3.1 miles in a straight line from Thornton Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Thornton Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.8–14.2%), 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 Thornton Township 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 Thornton Township.
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.