Photo: Spencer · CC BY-SA 2.5On CDC estimates, Shaker Heights is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
Shaker Heights beats Ohio on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Shaker Heights. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shaker Heights
Shaker Heights keeps up with checkups
It beats Ohio on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (73.7% vs 62.9%) and cholesterol checks (91.2% vs 86.1%). Checkups ↓
Shaker Heights is an active town
Only 17.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.9% across Ohio. Habits ↓
Health varies a lot right around Shaker Heights
Grades next door run from Beachwood (A+) to Cleveland (D). Shaker Heights is an A. Around town ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Shaker Heights
Shaker Heights runs below Ohio on six chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.7% vs 8%), heart disease (5.2% vs 7.1%) and diabetes (11% vs 13.2%). 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 Ohio figure falls outside Shaker Heights’ likely range.
What’s behind Shaker Heights’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shaker Heights is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #43 of 993 in Ohio. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 96% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 67%.
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). Shaker Heights’ median household income is $104,073; among the 7,975 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($78K–$130K), it’s healthier than 94%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Shaker Heights adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Ohio.
Everyday habits, side by side with Ohio
Share of adults, with the Ohio figure marked.
7.7 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Shaker Heights adults…
Shaker Heights runs below OH on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Shaker Heights and the towns around it
Shaker Heights’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaker Heights | A | 31.1% | 11% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Cleveland | D | 42.2% | 17.7% | 21.5% | CDC place |
| Cleveland Heights | A− | 33.3% | 11.9% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Beachwood | A+ | 26.1% | 10.6% | 7.6% | CDC place |
| Highland Hills | — | — | — | — | |
| University Heights | A | 30% | 8.6% | 9.9% | CDC place |
Highland Hills: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Shaker Heights
No hospital or community health center in Shaker Heights 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 Shaker Heights; ≈ 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 Shaker Heights adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Shaker Heights does better than Ohio.
1 in 3 Shaker Heights 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.
7% of Shaker Heights adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Shaker Heights adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shaker Heights
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shaker Heights is better than Ohio on 22 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Ohio figure falls inside Shaker Heights’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shaker Heights | OH | U.S. | vs OH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.2%11.8–14.6 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.9%8.8–11 | 13.9% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.7%11.5–14.1 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.1%27.8–34.7 | 37.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 11%9.8–12.3 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 35.5%32.9–38.1 | 37.2% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37%34.2–39.9 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.3%24.1–28.6 | 29.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11%9.9–12.1 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.6–9.1 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.7–5.8 | 7.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 8% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.3 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.4%7.1–9.8 | 15.3% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.5%7.5–9.7 | 15.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.1%15–19.2 | 26.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.8%15.6–20.3 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.5%32.3–38.8 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.4%3.8–5.1 | 8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.2%79.9–84.4 | 79.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.7%71.4–75.9 | 62.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.2%90.2–92.3 | 86.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.9%77.6–82.1 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.6%68.5–74.6 | 65.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83%78.9–86.6 | 76% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%19–23.7 | 25.4% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 34.1%30.3–38 | 35% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.3%16.8–21.9 | 21.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.2%8–10.5 | 14.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.5%7.4–9.7 | 11.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.7–7.4 | 8.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.5%4.9–6.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7%6–8 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.4%20.1–24.8 | 29.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.6%9.4–11.8 | 13.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.9%8–9.9 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%3.2–3.7 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.5%4.9–6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.5–2.9 | 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 Shaker Heights
Is Shaker Heights a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shaker Heights is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #43 of 993 in Ohio. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shaker Heights?
CDC estimates 31.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.8% and 34.7%, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shaker Heights?
Lake Health Beachwood Medical Center in Beachwood, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Shaker Heights’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Shaker Heights have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.8–5.1%), 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 Shaker Heights 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 Shaker Heights.
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.