Health · Sheldon

Sheldon, IL health

Sheldon differs from Illinois on 14 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (18.8% vs 10.3%) and more adults with COPD (10.5% vs 6.3%).

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

Sheldon’s Health Grade: C−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Sheldon is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns, and than 58% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthC-Physical distressCMental distressDObesityC-DiabetesC-SmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 18%
Less healthyHealthier
Illinois towns we grade (1,344)Healthier than 6%
Towns with similar incomes, $33K–$55K (3,463)Healthier than 58%

Better than its income would suggest. Sheldon is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C−.

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

40 of every 100 Sheldon adults have high blood pressure
Illinois: 33 in 100 · worse · margin 35.6–44.7%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Sheldon, betterSheldon, worseToo close to callIllinois
Get no exerciseshare of adults 28% Sheldon
IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 36.3% Sheldon
IL 35.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.5% Sheldon
IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 18% Sheldon
IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

78%
Yearly checkup
IL 78%
59%
Dentist visit
IL 63%
86%
Cholesterol check
IL 87%
63%
Colon screening
IL 60%
71%
Mammogram
IL 74%
79%
Taking BP meds
IL 76%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Sheldon 9.1% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Sheldon adults are doing

1 in 3Sheldon adults feel lonely
34.5% · Illinois 33.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Sheldon adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.1% · Illinois 19.8% · worse
1 in 4Sheldon adults lack social or emotional support
25.3% · Illinois 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Sheldon adults are in frequent mental distress
18.5% · 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
Sheldon adults worry about having enough food
17.1% · IL 15.9% · about the same
1 in 8
Sheldon adults worry about keeping their housing
12.8% · IL 13.2% · about the same
1 in 12
Sheldon adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.4% · IL 7.8% · about the same
1 in 11
Sheldon adults lack reliable transportation
8.7% · IL 8% · about the same

17.7% of Sheldon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Disability

Living with a disability

35.8%

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

Walking or climbing stairs18.2%
Thinking or memory16%
Hearing9%
Errands alone10.5%
Vision6.2%
Dressing or bathing4.9%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Sheldon

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

HNearest ERIroquois Memorial HospitalWatseka · 8.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyPresence St. Marys Hospital★★★★★ · 29 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHealthlinc NewtonMorocco · 13.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
8.7 mi
Iroquois Memorial Hospital
Watseka · not rated
ERRural critical access
13.4 mi
Healthlinc Newton
Morocco · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
22.1 mi
Carle Hoopeston Regional Health Center
Hoopeston · not rated
ERRural critical access
24.1 mi
Valley Oaks Health Rensselaer
Rensselaer · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
27.9 mi
Franciscan Health Rensselaer
Rensselaer · not rated
ERRural critical access
29 mi
Presence St. Marys Hospital
Kankakee · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careSheldon's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Iroquois County · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careSheldon's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Iroquois County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthSheldon'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 Sheldon. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Sheldon
MeasureSheldonMarginIllinois
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure40.1%35.6–44.7%33%worse
High cholesterol39.9%35.3–44.6%35.4%about the same
Obesity41.5%32.8–50.2%34%about the same
Arthritis32.2%28.5–35.9%24.2%worse
Depression24.1%20.4–28%19.8%worse
Lost all teeth (65+)18.8%14.8–23%10.3%worse
Asthma11.1%9.8–12.6%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.8%8.8–11%7.6%worse
Diabetes14.1%12–16.4%11.7%worse
COPD10.5%8.7–12.5%6.3%worse
Heart disease8.4%7.3–9.7%5.9%worse
Stroke4.5%3.9–5.1%3.3%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes18%14.8–21.6%12.1%worse
Binge drink16.5%13.5–19.8%17.8%about the same
Get no exercise28%22.6–33.6%23%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours36.3%28.2–44.8%35.4%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup78.3%74.5–81.9%77.8%about the same
Dentist visit58.8%54.3–63.1%63.4%worse
Cholesterol check86.1%83.8–88.2%87.4%about the same
Colon screening62.5%55.8–68.7%60.2%about the same
Mammogram70.5%64.8–75.7%73.5%about the same
Taking BP meds78.6%75.5–81.4%75.7%about the same
No health insurance9.1%7.1–11.6%9.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely34.5%28.6–40.1%33.5%about the same
Lack emotional support25.3%21–29.6%25.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress18.5%16.2–21.1%15.6%worse
Fair or poor health23.5%19.6–27.7%18.6%worse
Frequent physical distress16.4%14–18.9%12.2%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity17.1%13.6–20.8%15.9%about the same
Housing insecurity12.8%10.5–15.3%13.2%about the same
Utility shut-off threat8.4%6.9–9.9%7.8%about the same
No reliable transportation8.7%7.3–10.2%8%about the same
Receive SNAP17.7%14–21.7%13.8%
Disability
Any disability35.8%30.5–41.3%27.6%
Walking or climbing stairs18.2%15.2–21.5%12.8%
Thinking or memory16%13.5–18.5%12.6%
Hearing9%7.8–10.3%6.2%
Vision6.2%5.3–7.2%4.8%
Dressing or bathing4.9%4.1–5.8%3.5%
Errands alone10.5%8.9–12.3%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 Sheldon door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Illinois figure falls inside it, we don't call Sheldon better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Sheldon 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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