Health · Leaf River

Leaf River, IL health

Leaf River differs from Illinois on 10 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (8.7% vs 15.9%) and fewer uninsured adults (5.7% vs 9.9%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (10.1% vs 7.6%).

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

Leaf River’s Health Grade: B+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Leaf River is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns and 63% of Illinois towns.

B+Self-rated healthB+Physical distressA-Mental distressCObesityBDiabetesB+SmokingA-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 67%
Less healthyHealthier
Illinois towns we grade (1,344)Healthier than 63%
Towns with similar incomes, $64K–$107K (9,431)Healthier than 67%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Leaf River 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 Leaf River 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. Leaf River 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 Leaf River 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 Leaf River adults…

35 of every 100 Leaf River adults have high blood pressure
Illinois: 33 in 100 · too close to call · margin 30.6–39.1%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Leaf River, betterLeaf River, worseToo close to callIllinois
Get no exerciseshare of adults 19.6% Leaf River
IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 34.1% Leaf River
IL 35.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 19.3% Leaf River
IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.3% Leaf River
IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%
Yearly checkup
IL 78%
69%
Dentist visit
IL 63%
89%
Cholesterol check
IL 87%
68%
Colon screening
IL 60%
76%
Mammogram
IL 74%
78%
Taking BP meds
IL 76%
1 in 18
working-age adults has no health insurance
Leaf River 5.7% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Leaf River adults are doing

1 in 3Leaf River adults feel lonely
30.9% · Illinois 33.5% · too close to call
1 in 5Leaf River adults have been diagnosed with depression
21.5% · Illinois 19.8% · too close to call
1 in 5Leaf River adults lack social or emotional support
22.1% · Illinois 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 7Leaf River adults are in frequent mental distress
15.3% · Illinois 15.6% · too close to call
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 11
Leaf River adults worry about having enough food
8.7% · IL 15.9% · better
1 in 13
Leaf River adults worry about keeping their housing
7.8% · IL 13.2% · better
1 in 20
Leaf River adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.9% · IL 7.8% · better
1 in 19
Leaf River adults lack reliable transportation
5.2% · IL 8% · better

7.6% of Leaf River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Disability

Living with a disability

26.6%

of Leaf River adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs12%
Thinking or memory11.5%
Hearing6.9%
Errands alone6.7%
Vision3.6%
Dressing or bathing2.9%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Leaf River

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

HNearest ERFhn Memorial HospitalFreeport · 16.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyUw Health★★★★★ · 19.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCrusaders Central Clinic AssociationRockford · 18.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
16.9 mi
Fhn Memorial Hospital
Freeport · ★★★★★
ER
18.5 mi
Crusaders Central Clinic Association
6 sites · nearest in Rockford
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
19.5 mi
Aunt Martha's Rockford Community Health Center
Rockford · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
19.6 mi
Uw Health
Rockford · ★★★★★
ER
19.7 mi
Osf Saint Katharine Medical Center
Dixon · ★★★★★
ER
19.8 mi
Javon Bea Hospital
Rockford · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careLeaf River's county is a federal shortage area.Ogle County · need score 8 of 25
✓ Dental careLeaf River is not a shortage area
! Mental healthLeaf River'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 Leaf River. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Leaf River
MeasureLeaf RiverMarginIllinois
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure34.8%30.6–39.1%33%about the same
High cholesterol37.1%32.8–41.6%35.4%about the same
Obesity38%30–46.1%34%about the same
Arthritis27.8%24.2–31.3%24.2%about the same
Depression21.5%18–25.1%19.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)7.2%5.6–9.2%10.3%better
Asthma10.1%8.8–11.4%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10.1%9.1–11.2%7.6%worse
Diabetes10.3%8.7–12.1%11.7%about the same
COPD6.4%5.2–7.6%6.3%about the same
Heart disease6.1%5.3–7.1%5.9%about the same
Stroke3.1%2.7–3.6%3.3%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.3%8.8–14%12.1%about the same
Binge drink19.3%15.9–22.8%17.8%about the same
Get no exercise19.6%15.4–24.3%23%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours34.1%27–42%35.4%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79.2%75.5–82.4%77.8%about the same
Dentist visit69.2%65.5–73%63.4%better
Cholesterol check89%87.1–90.8%87.4%about the same
Colon screening67.8%62–73.4%60.2%better
Mammogram75.5%67.2–83.3%73.5%about the same
Taking BP meds77.8%74.6–80.7%75.7%about the same
No health insurance5.7%4.3–7.4%9.9%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely30.9%25.6–36.9%33.5%about the same
Lack emotional support22.1%18.2–26.4%25.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress15.3%13.1–17.7%15.6%about the same
Fair or poor health15.1%12.4–18%18.6%better
Frequent physical distress12%10.2–13.9%12.2%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity8.7%6.7–11.2%15.9%better
Housing insecurity7.8%6.2–9.7%13.2%better
Utility shut-off threat4.9%4–5.9%7.8%better
No reliable transportation5.2%4.3–6.3%8%better
Receive SNAP7.6%5.7–9.9%13.8%
Disability
Any disability26.6%22.3–31.3%27.6%
Walking or climbing stairs12%9.9–14.5%12.8%
Thinking or memory11.5%9.5–13.5%12.6%
Hearing6.9%6–7.9%6.2%
Vision3.6%3.1–4.2%4.8%
Dressing or bathing2.9%2.4–3.4%3.5%
Errands alone6.7%5.6–7.8%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 Leaf River door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Illinois figure falls inside it, we don't call Leaf River better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Leaf River 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