Photo: Ken Winters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Rocky River is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns
Rocky River differs from Ohio on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 22 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rocky River. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rocky River
Rocky River is an active town
Only 16.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.9% across Ohio. Habits ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Rocky River doesn’t win on
19.4% of adults binge drink, vs 16.6% across Ohio, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Rocky River keeps up with checkups
It beats Ohio on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (75.5% vs 62.9%) and cholesterol checks (91% vs 86.1%). Checkups ↓
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 Ohio figure falls outside Rocky River’s likely range.
What’s behind Rocky River’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rocky River is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns, #16 of 993 in Ohio. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 96% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 86%.
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). Rocky River’s median household income is $94,026; among the 9,425 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$118K), it’s healthier than 99%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Ohio
Share of adults, with the Ohio figure marked.
2.7 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Rocky River adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Ohio.
Out of every 100 Rocky River adults…
Rocky River runs below OH on 7 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Rocky River
No hospital or community health center in Rocky River 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 Rocky River; ≈ 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 Rocky River adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Rocky River does better than Ohio.
1 in 3 Rocky River 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.
4.4% of Rocky River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
Rocky River and the towns around it
Rocky River’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky River | A+ | 27.8% | 9.5% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| Lakewood | A | 30.6% | 8.3% | 12% | CDC place |
| Fairview Park | A | 30.7% | 10.2% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| Bay Village | A+ | 28% | 8.9% | 8.9% | CDC place |
| Westlake | A | 27.7% | 10.1% | 9.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Rocky River adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rocky River
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rocky River is better than Ohio on 22 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Ohio figure falls inside Rocky River’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rocky River | OH | U.S. | vs OH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.5%10.9–14.3 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 13.9% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%11.2–14.2 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.8%24.5–31.4 | 37.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.5%8.3–10.7 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33.4%30.8–36.2 | 37.2% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.3%36.4–42.3 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.4%26.1–30.8 | 29.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.2–11.4 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%10–12 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.4–6.7 | 7.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.5%4.8–6.4 | 8% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.9%6.5–9.4 | 15.3% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.1%7.7–10.7 | 15.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.4%14.2–18.8 | 26.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.4%17–22 | 16.6% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.3%28.3–34.4 | 37.9% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.5%3.7–5.4 | 8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81%78.5–83.2 | 79.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.5%73.2–77.6 | 62.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91%89.7–92.1 | 86.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.7%77.2–82.1 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72%68.9–75 | 65.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%75.7–84.3 | 76% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%20.9–26.1 | 25.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.1%28.3–36.1 | 35% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 16.4%14.1–19 | 21.3% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.3%5.2–7.6 | 14.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.6%4.7–6.7 | 11.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.2%3.5–4.9 | 8.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4%3.5–4.6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.4%3.5–5.4 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.4%20.9–26 | 29.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.5%9.1–12 | 13.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.1%8–10.3 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.7–3.4 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.1–2.7 | 3.8% | 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 Ohio figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Rocky River
Is Rocky River a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rocky River is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #16 of 993 in Ohio. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rocky River?
CDC estimates 27.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.5% and 31.4%, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rocky River?
Fairview Hospital in Cleveland, 2.2 miles in a straight line from Rocky River’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Rocky River have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.7–5.4%), against 8% across Ohio.
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 Rocky River 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 Rocky River.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Ohio 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.