Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Salem Church · Photo: Ammodramus · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Wakefield is healthier than 73%
Wakefield differs from Nebraska on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wakefield. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wakefield
More Wakefield adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (33.7%), vs 24.3% across Nebraska. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Wakefield
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (18.1%), vs 12.3% across Nebraska. Housing insecurity (13.7% vs 9.5%) and no reliable transportation (8.6% vs 6.7%) are higher too. 11.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 8.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 5 working-age adults in Wakefield has no health insurance
18.5% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 9.9% across Nebraska. Checkups ↓
Wakefield is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Wakefield is healthier than 44%. Against the 8,013 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 73%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Nebraska figure falls outside Wakefield’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Wakefield’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wakefield is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 92% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 6%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Wakefield’s median household income is $56,964; among the 8,013 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 73%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Wakefield compares well: ever told they have depression, 14.8% (U.S. 20.6%).
Everyday habits, side by side with Nebraska
Share of adults, with the Nebraska figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.5% of Wakefield adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.
Keeping up with care
Share of Wakefield adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Nebraska.
Out of every 100 Wakefield adults…
Wakefield runs below NE on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Wakefield
No hospital or community health center in Wakefield itself. These are the nearest.
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 Wakefield; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
How Wakefield adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Wakefield does better than Nebraska.
1 in 3 Wakefield adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Wakefield and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefield | C+ | 43.7% | 12.8% | 13.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wakefield adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wakefield
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wakefield is better than Nebraska on 1 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Nebraska figure falls inside Wakefield’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wakefield | NE | U.S. | vs NE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.4%17.8–23.3 | 16.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.7–14.8 | 11.6% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%12.2–15.1 | 14.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.7%38.3–49.1 | 37.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11.3–14.4 | 10.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32.6%29.6–35.6 | 32.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.8%29.7–35.9 | 33% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.2%20.9–25.4 | 24% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 8.6%7.7–9.5 | 9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.7%7–8.5 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6.2–7.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.4%5.5–7.4 | 6.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.5%13–18.3 | 12.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.7%11.8–16 | 13.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 33.7%29.6–38 | 24.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15.9–20.6 | 19.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.1%27.3–37.2 | 31.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 18.5%15.2–21.9 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.2%71.3–77.1 | 75.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.3%57.1–63.3 | 64.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.5%80.4–84.6 | 83.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.5%76.2–80.6 | 77.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.4%51.9–60.9 | 62.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.1%68.7–80.6 | 75% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 14.8%13–16.9 | 18.3% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 31.4%27.3–35.5 | 29.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.6%19.6–25.8 | 20.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.1%15.1–21.2 | 12.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.7%11.7–15.9 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.1%7–9.3 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.6%7.4–10 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.5%9.4–13.8 | 8.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.4%27–34.1 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.5%12.6–16.5 | 12% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.4%11.7–15 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.7–9.4 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.2%5.4–7 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%6.9–9 | 6.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.5–4.6 | 3.2% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Nebraska figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Wakefield
Is Wakefield a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wakefield is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wakefield?
CDC estimates 43.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.3% and 49.1%, against 37.7% across Nebraska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wakefield?
Providence Medical Center in Wayne, 7.6 miles in a straight line from Wakefield’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Wakefield have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 18.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15.2–21.9%), against 9.9% across Nebraska.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Wakefield more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Wakefield.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Nebraska figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.