Photo: edward P. steinburg desnged · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Waukegan is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns
Waukegan differs from Illinois on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waukegan. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waukegan
Every town around Waukegan scores healthier
All nine graded neighbors are ahead of Waukegan’s C, from Beach Park (B−) to Libertyville Township (A+). Around town ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Waukegan
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (28.9%), vs 15.9% across Illinois. Housing insecurity (23.4% vs 13.2%) and utility shut-off threats (13.1% vs 7.8%) are higher too. 24.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 5 working-age adults in Waukegan has no health insurance
21.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 9.9% across Illinois. Checkups ↓
Cancer and arthritis are less common in Waukegan
Waukegan runs below Illinois on cancer (4.7% vs 7.6%) and arthritis (19.7% vs 24.2%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (Illinois 17%). Conditions ↓
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 Waukegan’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Waukegan’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waukegan is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #637 of 767 in Illinois. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 55% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Waukegan’s median household income is $71,919; among the 10,667 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$90K), it’s healthier than 30%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Waukegan compares well: arthritis, 19.7% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.7% (U.S. 7.9%).
Waukegan and the towns around it
Waukegan’s Health Grade ranks 10th of 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waukegan | C | 40.2% | 14.4% | 14.3% | CDC place |
| Beach Park | B− | 37.6% | 13.5% | 13.6% | CDC place |
| Waukegan Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Park City | B+ | 36.8% | 11.6% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Gurnee | A | 32.1% | 10.8% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Wadsworth | A | 32.6% | 11.3% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Green Oaks | A | 29.2% | 10.5% | 8.3% | CDC place |
| Warren Township | A | 33% | 11.1% | 10.1% | ZIP codes |
Waukegan Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
24.2% of Waukegan adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Keeping up with care
Share of Waukegan adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Out of every 100 Waukegan adults…
Waukegan runs below IL on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Waukegan residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Illinois. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Waukegan
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Waukegan, 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 Waukegan; ≈ 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.
6.1 miles of trails across 44 parks and preserves
How Waukegan adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Waukegan runs above Illinois.
1 in 3 Waukegan 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 Waukegan adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waukegan
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waukegan is better than Illinois on 3 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Waukegan’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waukegan | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.7%22.9–28.4 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.5–15.8 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%15–18.9 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.2%34.6–45.7 | 34% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.4%12.6–16.3 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.4%30–36.8 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%31.2–38.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19.7%17.4–22.2 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.5–10.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.7%4.3–5.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6%5.4–6.7 | 6.3% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.9%14.9–21.5 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.3%12.4–16.3 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.2%26.1–34.3 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%12.3–17.4 | 17.8% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.1%32.9–43.6 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 21.3%18.8–23.7 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.7%69.9–77.2 | 77.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.2%48.6–56 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.4%81.4–85.3 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.2%68–74.2 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 53.5%48.7–58.5 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.9%64.6–78.9 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.6%14.9–20.4 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.6%31.3–40.2 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.4%26.8–34.4 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 28.9%25.8–31.9 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 23.4%20.7–26 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.1%11.5–14.8 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.2%11.7–14.6 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.2%21.4–26.9 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.2%27.5–34.9 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15%13.2–16.9 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.4%14.6–18.1 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.9%7.3–8.5 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.5%8.5–10.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.6–5.4 | 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 Waukegan
Is Waukegan a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waukegan is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #637 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 30%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waukegan?
CDC estimates 40.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.6% and 45.7%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waukegan?
Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, 2.1 miles in a straight line from Waukegan’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waukegan have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 21.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 18.8–23.7%), 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 Waukegan 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 Waukegan.
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.