MAPPING SOCIAL WELLNESS IN CHICAGO FOR THOSE 55+
ACROSS 77 COMMUNITY AREAS
Explore Social Wellness Across Chicago
How connected do older adults feel in different parts of Chicago? A new, first-of-its-kind interactive map helps bring that picture into focus.
The Social Wellness Map of Chicago’s 77 Community Areas shows how social connection varies across the city—and what neighborhood factors may support stronger connections. Use the map to compare community areas, explore local social wellness data, and see how conditions such as walkability, safety, and community ties relate to well-being among adults 55+.
For deeper insights, read the accompanying report, Mapping Social Wellness in Chicago for those 55+.
Definitions
The map features two key concepts: social wellness and community connectability
Social Wellness:
A measure of how connected older adults feel to other people and to their community
Community Connectability:
A measure of how supportive a neighborhood is for building and maintaining social connections, including access to social opportunities, strength of community ties, and safety
METHODOLOGY
The map combines two data sources:
- New survey data collected from a sample of over 4,000 Chicagoans ages 55+, including measures of community belonging, loneliness, social contact, and neighborhood perceptions
- Publicly available data describing community conditions such as walkability, crime rates, and number of community spaces
What You Can Do with the Social Wellness Map:
- See how Chicago communities compare. Explore where older adults report stronger social wellness—and how neighborhood factors may play a role.
- Learn from what’s working. Identify communities with stronger social wellness and uncover ideas that may help support connection in other areas.
- Pinpoint opportunities for impact. Find areas with lower social wellness and consider where programs, resources, and partnerships could make a difference.
- Turn data into action. Download the report for deeper findings that can help guide planning, funding decisions, and collaboration among community leaders.
RESEARCH AUTHOR
The following people contributed to the development of this report:
Jennifer L. Smith, PhD, Vice President, Mather Institute
Renae Smith-Ray, PhD, Senior Research Associate, Mather Institute
Cate O’Brien, PhD, MPH, Chief Transformation Officer, Mather
Additional contributions from NORC:
Nell Compernolle, PhD, Senior Research Scientist
Ellen Bloss, MA, Research Scientist
Ned English, MS, Associate Director
Lekha Venkataraman, MA, Senior Research Director
Ryan Buechel, Senior Research Director
Martha McRoy, MS, Senior Research Methodologist
Joshua Lerner, PhD, Senior Research Methodologist
Peter Herman, MA, Senior Research Methodologist
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