Health · Ashkum

Ashkum, IL health

Ashkum differs from Illinois on 10 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (18.6% vs 10.3%) and more smokers (17.3% vs 12.1%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Ashkum
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Ashkum’s Health Grade: C+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Ashkum is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns.

C+Self-rated healthC+Physical distressCMental distressC-ObesityB-DiabetesCSmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 36%
Less healthyHealthier
Illinois towns we grade (1,344)Healthier than 24%
Towns with similar incomes, $68K–$113K (9,071)Healthier than 19%

Wealth explains part of the grade. Ashkum is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Ashkum could be anywhere from D to B+.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Illinois ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Ashkum with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Ashkum uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Ashkum compares with Illinois

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Ashkum adults…

36 of every 100 Ashkum adults have high blood pressure
Illinois: 33 in 100 · too close to call · margin 31.8–40.2%

Bars show Ashkum; the black tick is Illinois. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Ashkum, betterAshkum, worseToo close to callIllinois
Get no exerciseshare of adults 25.2% Ashkum
IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 37.2% Ashkum
IL 35.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 18.6% Ashkum
IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 17.3% Ashkum
IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Ashkum adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.

76%
Yearly checkup
IL 78%
60%
Dentist visit
IL 63%
85%
Cholesterol check
IL 87%
63%
Colon screening
IL 60%
73%
Mammogram
IL 74%
76%
Taking BP meds
IL 76%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Ashkum 8.7% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Ashkum adults are doing

1 in 3Ashkum adults feel lonely
35.3% · Illinois 33.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Ashkum adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.7% · Illinois 19.8% · worse
1 in 4Ashkum adults lack social or emotional support
25.4% · Illinois 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Ashkum adults are in frequent mental distress
19.2% · Illinois 15.6% · worse
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6
Ashkum adults worry about having enough food
15.8% · IL 15.9% · about the same
1 in 8
Ashkum adults worry about keeping their housing
12.4% · IL 13.2% · about the same
1 in 13
Ashkum adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.9% · IL 7.8% · about the same
1 in 12
Ashkum adults lack reliable transportation
8.3% · IL 8% · about the same

15.8% of Ashkum adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Disability

Living with a disability

32.8%

of Ashkum adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15%
Thinking or memory15.8%
Hearing7.5%
Errands alone9.5%
Vision5.2%
Dressing or bathing4.1%

Black tick: Illinois. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Ashkum

No hospital or community health center in Ashkum itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERIroquois Memorial HospitalWatseka · 13.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyPresence St. Marys Hospital★★★★★ · 17.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCommunity Health Partnership of IllinoisKankakee · 17.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
13.9 mi
Iroquois Memorial Hospital
Watseka · not rated
ERRural critical access
17.3 mi
Presence St. Marys Hospital
Kankakee · ★★★★★
ER
17.4 mi
Riverside Medical Center
Kankakee · ★★★★★
ER
17.5 mi
Community Health Partnership of Illinois
2 sites · nearest in Kankakee
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
17.6 mi
Kankakee Community Health Center
Kankakee · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
32.8 mi
Carle Hoopeston Regional Health Center
Hoopeston · not rated
ERRural critical access
! Primary careAshkum's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Iroquois County · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careAshkum's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Iroquois County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthAshkum's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.LI Central Area MHCA · need score 18 of 25

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 Ashkum. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Ashkum
MeasureAshkumMarginIllinois
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure36%31.8–40.2%33%about the same
High cholesterol37%32.8–41.5%35.4%about the same
Obesity40.5%32–49.2%34%about the same
Arthritis28.2%24.8–31.7%24.2%worse
Depression24.7%21–28.8%19.8%worse
Lost all teeth (65+)18.6%14.6–23%10.3%worse
Asthma11%9.7–12.5%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8.6%7.7–9.6%7.6%worse
Diabetes12%10.2–13.8%11.7%about the same
COPD8.9%7.4–10.5%6.3%worse
Heart disease7%6–7.9%5.9%worse
Stroke3.7%3.2–4.2%3.3%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17.3%14.1–20.9%12.1%worse
Binge drink18.6%15.3–22.3%17.8%about the same
Get no exercise25.2%20.3–30.4%23%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours37.2%28.9–46%35.4%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup76.4%72.5–80.3%77.8%about the same
Dentist visit59.6%55–64%63.4%about the same
Cholesterol check84.6%82–87.1%87.4%worse
Colon screening63%56.2–69.1%60.2%about the same
Mammogram72.5%66.9–77.6%73.5%about the same
Taking BP meds75.6%72.5–78.5%75.7%about the same
No health insurance8.7%6.6–11%9.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely35.3%29.3–41.3%33.5%about the same
Lack emotional support25.4%20.9–29.8%25.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress19.2%16.8–21.8%15.6%worse
Fair or poor health20.9%17.4–24.6%18.6%about the same
Frequent physical distress14.8%12.7–17.1%12.2%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity15.8%12.2–19.7%15.9%about the same
Housing insecurity12.4%9.9–15%13.2%about the same
Utility shut-off threat7.9%6.4–9.4%7.8%about the same
No reliable transportation8.3%6.8–10%8%about the same
Receive SNAP15.8%12.1–19.8%13.8%
Disability
Any disability32.8%27.8–38%27.6%
Walking or climbing stairs15%12.5–17.6%12.8%
Thinking or memory15.8%13.4–18.5%12.6%
Hearing7.5%6.6–8.6%6.2%
Vision5.2%4.5–6%4.8%
Dressing or bathing4.1%3.5–4.8%3.5%
Errands alone9.5%8.1–11.1%7.6%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Ashkum door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Illinois figure falls inside it, we don't call Ashkum better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Ashkum directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Illinois figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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