Health · Cortland

Cortland, IL health

Cortland differs from Illinois on 11 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults with heart disease (4% vs 5.9%) and fewer adults who have had a stroke (2.3% vs 3.3%). Where it trails the state: more binge drinkers (21.8% vs 17.8%).

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

Cortland’s Health Grade: B+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Cortland is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns and 71% of Illinois towns.

A-Self-rated healthAPhysical distressCMental distressB-ObesityADiabetesBSmokingA-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 73%
Less healthyHealthier
Illinois towns we grade (1,344)Healthier than 71%
Towns with similar incomes, $55K–$92K (9,880)Healthier than 87%

About what its income would suggest. Cortland does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Cortland could be anywhere from C+ to A.
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 Cortland 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. Cortland 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 Cortland 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 Cortland adults…

27 of every 100 Cortland adults have high blood pressure
Illinois: 33 in 100 · better · margin 23.7–31.7%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Cortland, betterCortland, worseToo close to callIllinois
Get no exerciseshare of adults 20.7% Cortland
IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 35.4% Cortland
IL 35.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 21.8% Cortland
IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 13.2% Cortland
IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

74%
Yearly checkup
IL 78%
66%
Dentist visit
IL 63%
85%
Cholesterol check
IL 87%
60%
Colon screening
IL 60%
75%
Mammogram
IL 74%
68%
Taking BP meds
IL 76%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Cortland 9.2% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Cortland adults are doing

1 in 3Cortland adults feel lonely
33.7% · Illinois 33.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Cortland adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.2% · Illinois 19.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Cortland adults lack social or emotional support
25.5% · Illinois 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 6Cortland adults are in frequent mental distress
18% · 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 7
Cortland adults worry about having enough food
14.6% · IL 15.9% · about the same
1 in 8
Cortland adults worry about keeping their housing
13.1% · IL 13.2% · about the same
1 in 13
Cortland adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.9% · IL 7.8% · about the same
1 in 13
Cortland adults lack reliable transportation
7.8% · IL 8% · about the same

13.1% of Cortland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Disability

Living with a disability

25.5%

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

Walking or climbing stairs9.6%
Thinking or memory13.7%
Hearing4.6%
Errands alone7.1%
Vision3.9%
Dressing or bathing2.9%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Cortland

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

HNearest ERNorthwestern Medicine Kishwaukee HospitalDekalb · 4.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyNorthwestern Medicine Delnor Community Hospital★★★★★ · 18.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careGreater Family HealthDekalb · 4.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.4 mi
Greater Family Health
3 sites · nearest in Dekalb
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
4.5 mi
Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital
Dekalb · ★★★★★
ER
18.3 mi
Northwestern Medicine Delnor Community Hospital
Geneva · ★★★★★
ER
19.2 mi
Rochelle Community Hospital
Rochelle · not rated
ERRural critical access
19.7 mi
Saint Joseph Hospital-Elgin
Elgin · ★★★★★
ER
20.3 mi
Vna Health Care, An Illinois Not-For-Profit Corporation
4 sites · nearest in Elgin
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary careCortland's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, DeKalb County · need score 17 of 25
✓ Dental careCortland is not a shortage area
! Mental healthCortland's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Northern IL MHCA · need score 17 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 Cortland. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Cortland
MeasureCortlandMarginIllinois
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure27.4%23.7–31.7%33%better
High cholesterol31%27–35.6%35.4%about the same
Obesity36%28.3–44.8%34%about the same
Arthritis20%17.3–23.1%24.2%better
Depression23.2%19.5–27.3%19.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)12%9.4–14.7%10.3%about the same
Asthma10.4%9.1–11.9%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)5.8%5.2–6.5%7.6%better
Diabetes8.7%7.4–10.1%11.7%better
COPD5.1%4.3–5.9%6.3%better
Heart disease4%3.5–4.5%5.9%better
Stroke2.3%2–2.5%3.3%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes13.2%10.8–15.9%12.1%about the same
Binge drink21.8%18–26.3%17.8%worse
Get no exercise20.7%16.7–25.1%23%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours35.4%28.1–42.6%35.4%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup74.2%69.6–78.4%77.8%about the same
Dentist visit65.7%61.8–69.3%63.4%about the same
Cholesterol check85%82.5–87.1%87.4%worse
Colon screening59.7%53.9–64.9%60.2%about the same
Mammogram75.4%66.6–82.2%73.5%about the same
Taking BP meds68.2%64.2–72.1%75.7%worse
No health insurance9.2%7.5–11.2%9.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.7%28.8–39.3%33.5%about the same
Lack emotional support25.5%21.8–29.8%25.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress18%15.8–20.6%15.6%worse
Fair or poor health16.3%13.8–19.1%18.6%about the same
Frequent physical distress11.3%9.8–13.1%12.2%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity14.6%12.2–17.5%15.9%about the same
Housing insecurity13.1%11.1–15.5%13.2%about the same
Utility shut-off threat7.9%6.7–9.3%7.8%about the same
No reliable transportation7.8%6.7–9.1%8%about the same
Receive SNAP13.1%10.7–15.8%13.8%
Disability
Any disability25.5%21.5–30%27.6%
Walking or climbing stairs9.6%8–11.2%12.8%
Thinking or memory13.7%11.7–16%12.6%
Hearing4.6%4–5.3%6.2%
Vision3.9%3.5–4.4%4.8%
Dressing or bathing2.9%2.5–3.2%3.5%
Errands alone7.1%6.2–8.2%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 Cortland door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Illinois figure falls inside it, we don't call Cortland better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Cortland 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01