Henry I. Paddock House · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainWithin Illinois, Winthrop Harbor is healthier than 43% of graded towns
Winthrop Harbor differs from Illinois on 4 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Winthrop Harbor. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Winthrop Harbor
Against towns with similar incomes, Winthrop Harbor’s lead shrinks
Winthrop Harbor is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, but 45% of the 9,208 towns with similar household incomes ($72K–$120K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
COPD and cancer run high in Winthrop Harbor
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.6%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 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 Winthrop Harbor’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Winthrop Harbor’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Winthrop Harbor is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #436 of 767 in Illinois. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 72% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 40%).
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). Winthrop Harbor’s median household income is $95,690; among the 9,208 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$120K), it’s healthier than 45%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Winthrop Harbor adults…
Winthrop Harbor runs above IL on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Winthrop Harbor
No hospital or community health center in Winthrop Harbor 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 Winthrop Harbor; ≈ 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.
5.5 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Winthrop Harbor adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Winthrop Harbor adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Winthrop Harbor 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.
13% of Winthrop Harbor adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Winthrop Harbor and the towns around it
Winthrop Harbor’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winthrop Harbor | B | 36.4% | 12.7% | 14% | CDC place |
| Benton Township | C+ | 38.7% | 13.6% | 14.2% | ZIP codes |
| Zion Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Zion | C | 41.1% | 14.3% | 14.9% | CDC place |
Zion Township: the same community as Zion, graded once. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Winthrop Harbor adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Winthrop Harbor
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Winthrop Harbor is better than Illinois on 1 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Winthrop Harbor’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Winthrop Harbor | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.6%16–21.3 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.6–15.1 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.1–18.1 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.4%30.9–41.7 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.7%10.9–14.6 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.7%32.9–40.3 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.2%35.3–42.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.7%23.7–29.8 | 24.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.2%8.9–11.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8.1–9.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.5 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.6%6.6–8.8 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.2–3.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.8%8.8–13.1 | 10.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14%11.7–16.5 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.3%18.5–26.2 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%13–18.2 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.2%28.4–38.5 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.7%7.4–10.1 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.6%74.2–80.6 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.7%62.3–69.2 | 63.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.3%86.6–89.7 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.6%73.3–79.3 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.2%61.5–70.9 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.3%67.1–80.8 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%17.5–23.7 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31%26.7–35.1 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24%20.7–27.5 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.1%11.9–16.4 | 15.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.8%10.1–13.6 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.3–8.5 | 7.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.3%6.4–8.3 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13%10.9–15.2 | 13.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.8%23.9–31.7 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.9%11.9–15.9 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.1%11.3–14.8 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.2–8 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%7–9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Winthrop Harbor
Is Winthrop Harbor a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Winthrop Harbor is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #436 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 Winthrop Harbor?
CDC estimates 36.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.9% and 41.7%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Winthrop Harbor?
Midwestern Region Med Center in Zion, 2.2 miles in a straight line from Winthrop Harbor’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Winthrop Harbor have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.4–10.1%), 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 Winthrop Harbor more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Winthrop Harbor.
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.