Health · Oak Forest

Oak Forest, IL health

Oak Forest differs from Illinois on 12 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults with diabetes (9.7% vs 11.7%) and fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (6.6% vs 7.8%). Where it trails the state: more binge drinkers (20.4% vs 17.8%).

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

Oak Forest’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Oak Forest is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns and 85% of Illinois towns.

A-Self-rated healthAPhysical distressA-Mental distressAObesityA-DiabetesA-SmokingA-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 85%
Less healthyHealthier
Illinois towns we grade (1,344)Healthier than 85%
Towns with similar incomes, $69K–$115K (9,001)Healthier than 90%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Oak Forest could be anywhere from B+ 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 Oak Forest 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. Oak Forest 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 Oak Forest 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 Oak Forest adults…

29 of every 100 Oak Forest adults have high blood pressure
Illinois: 33 in 100 · better · margin 26.3–31%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Oak Forest, betterOak Forest, worseToo close to callIllinois
Get no exerciseshare of adults 20% Oak Forest
IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 34% Oak Forest
IL 35.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 20.4% Oak Forest
IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.3% Oak Forest
IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

77%
Yearly checkup
IL 78%
67%
Dentist visit
IL 63%
88%
Cholesterol check
IL 87%
62%
Colon screening
IL 60%
75%
Mammogram
IL 74%
74%
Taking BP meds
IL 76%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Oak Forest 9.1% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Oak Forest adults are doing

1 in 3Oak Forest adults feel lonely
33.6% · Illinois 33.5% · too close to call
1 in 5Oak Forest adults have been diagnosed with depression
20.9% · Illinois 19.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Oak Forest adults lack social or emotional support
25.2% · Illinois 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 6Oak Forest adults are in frequent mental distress
15.5% · 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 7
Oak Forest adults worry about having enough food
14% · IL 15.9% · better
1 in 8
Oak Forest adults worry about keeping their housing
12.1% · IL 13.2% · about the same
1 in 15
Oak Forest adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.6% · IL 7.8% · better
1 in 14
Oak Forest adults lack reliable transportation
7% · IL 8% · better

11.1% of Oak Forest adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Disability

Living with a disability

25.2%

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

Walking or climbing stairs11%
Thinking or memory12.1%
Hearing5.5%
Errands alone6.9%
Vision3.9%
Dressing or bathing3%

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

Around Oak Forest

Oak Forest and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Oak Forest.

Midlothian: 32.3% Country Club Hills: 38.2% Orland Park: 26.8% Markham: 40.9% Crestwood: 30.1% Robbins: 42.9% Hazel Crest: 39% Flossmoor: 31.3% Orland Hills: 28.9% Tinley Park: 29% Palos Park: 26.7% Orland: 27.6% Homer Glen: 36% Homer: 36.3% Frankfort: 35.2% Harvey: 41.8% Posen: 34.1% Oak Forest: 29% Oak Forest Midlothian Country Club Hills Orland Park Markham Palos Community Hospital · Palos Heights · 4.3 mi · 4★ MedicareH Ingalls Memorial Hospital · Harvey · 4.9 mi · 2★ MedicareH Franciscan Health Olympia & Chicago Heights · Olympia Fields · 6.1 mi · 3★ MedicareH Hazel Crest Community Health Center · Hazel Crest · 4.1 mi+ Family Christian Health Center Mchc · Harvey · 4.8 mi+
26.7%42.9%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#5 of 18towns on this map, healthiest first
Orland Park26.8%
Oak Forest29%
Midlothian32.3%
Country Club Hills38.2%
Markham40.9%

Care nearby

Palos Community HospitalPalos Heights · 4.3 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Ingalls Memorial HospitalHarvey · 4.9 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Franciscan Health Olympia & Chicago HeightsOlympia Fields · 6.1 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Advocate Christ Hospital & Medical CenterOak Lawn · 7.9 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Hazel Crest Community Health CenterHazel Crest · 4.1 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
Family Christian Health Center MchcHarvey · 4.8 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
✓ Primary careOak Forest is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careOak Forest is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthOak Forest is not a shortage area

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas. Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Oak Forest. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Oak Forest
MeasureOak ForestMarginIllinois
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure28.7%26.3–31%33%better
High cholesterol34.5%31.9–37.1%35.4%about the same
Obesity29%25.8–32.1%34%better
Arthritis22.5%20.6–24.5%24.2%about the same
Depression20.9%18.6–23.2%19.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)9.3%7.6–11.2%10.3%about the same
Asthma10%9–11%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)7.6%7–8.3%7.6%about the same
Diabetes9.7%8.6–10.8%11.7%better
COPD5.8%5.2–6.5%6.3%about the same
Heart disease5%4.6–5.5%5.9%better
Stroke2.8%2.6–3.1%3.3%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.3%9.9–12.8%12.1%about the same
Binge drink20.4%18.1–22.6%17.8%worse
Get no exercise20%17.7–22.4%23%better
Sleep under 7 hours34%30.6–37.5%35.4%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup76.8%74.1–79.1%77.8%about the same
Dentist visit66.9%63.9–69.7%63.4%better
Cholesterol check88.4%86.8–89.7%87.4%about the same
Colon screening61.5%57.7–65.2%60.2%about the same
Mammogram75.2%69.6–80.3%73.5%about the same
Taking BP meds73.5%70.6–76.1%75.7%about the same
No health insurance9.1%7.9–10.4%9.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.6%30.5–36.7%33.5%about the same
Lack emotional support25.2%22.7–28%25.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress15.5%14–17%15.6%about the same
Fair or poor health16.4%14.8–18.1%18.6%better
Frequent physical distress11.4%10.2–12.5%12.2%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity14%12.3–15.5%15.9%better
Housing insecurity12.1%10.7–13.5%13.2%about the same
Utility shut-off threat6.6%5.8–7.5%7.8%better
No reliable transportation7%6.3–7.9%8%better
Receive SNAP11.1%9.5–12.6%13.8%
Disability
Any disability25.2%22.8–27.6%27.6%
Walking or climbing stairs11%9.8–12.2%12.8%
Thinking or memory12.1%10.9–13.4%12.6%
Hearing5.5%4.9–6.1%6.2%
Vision3.9%3.6–4.3%4.8%
Dressing or bathing3%2.8–3.3%3.5%
Errands alone6.9%6.2–7.6%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 Oak Forest door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Illinois figure falls inside it, we don't call Oak Forest better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Oak Forest 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.

You’re browsing

Oak Forest

Illinois · IL
View town boundary →
Township / city / CDP overlaps possible.
Loading boundary…

Oak Forest is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01