Thornton, Illinois is a small town in Cook County with a population of around 4,500 people. While it may be small in size, there is no shortage of health opportunities available to the community. Thornton has a wide range of local hospitals and medical facilities that cater to the needs of the residents. These include the Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center, Advocate Trinity Hospital, and Community First Medical Center, each offering a variety of services from emergency care and general surgery to rehabilitation and home health services. Additionally, there are several independent physicians and nurse practitioners who provide specialized care for residents. The presence of these facilities ensures that those living in Thornton have access to quality healthcare regardless of their financial situation. In addition to these healthcare resources, Thornton also has an active program for physical fitness called \"Fit for Life\" which offers free classes and activities such as yoga and weight training to help keep the citizens healthy and strong. With all this available resources, Thornton has successfully maintained its position as one of the most healthy communities in Illinois.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 261 physicians per 100,000 population in Thornton. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Thornton area is 94.0 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
94.0 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Thornton area is 31 (100=best). The US average is 55.
31 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Thornton area is 96 (100=best). The US average is 87.
96 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Thornton commutes 25.6 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Thornton area is 65 (100=best). The US average is 58.
65 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.