On CDC estimates, Alma is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns
Alma trails Wisconsin on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 54754, 54611, 54615, 54746. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Alma
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Alma
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.3%), vs 6.5% across Wisconsin. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.1%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. Stroke is also above the state: 4.1%, vs 3.4% across Wisconsin. In all, Alma runs above Wisconsin on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Alma
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (17.3%), vs 13.6% across Wisconsin. Habits ↓
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 Wisconsin figure falls outside Alma’s likely range; Alma’s figures come from ZIP codes 54754, 54611, 54615, 54746, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Alma’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alma is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 68% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 19%).
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). Alma’s median household income is $76,029; among the 10,825 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$95K), it’s healthier than 25%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Alma adults…
Alma runs above WI on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
3.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Alma
No hospital or community health center in Alma 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 Alma; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Alma adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Alma adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
3 in 10 Alma 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.4% of Alma adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Alma and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alma | C | 39.9% | 13.4% | 17.3% | ZIP codes |
| Garden Valley | — | — | — | — | |
| Adams | C− | 41.2% | 13.8% | 19% | ZIP codes |
| Dewhurst | — | — | — | — | |
| Alma Center | — | — | — | — | |
| Mentor | — | — | — | — | |
| Hixton | — | — | — | — | |
| Hewett | — | — | — | — |
Garden Valley, Dewhurst, Alma Center, Mentor, Hixton and Hewett: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Alma adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Alma
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Alma is better than Wisconsin on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Alma’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Alma | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.8%18.4–23.4 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.6–17 | 12.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.4–17.9 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.9%33–47.2 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.4%11.7–15.1 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.9%34.2–41.8 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.3%33.6–41.4 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.6%27.7–33.9 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%10–12.4 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.7–10.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.4–9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.3%7.4–9.3 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.8–4.4 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.6%11.3–16.3 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.3%15.1–19.7 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.8%26.6–35.3 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%14.6–20.5 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.5%29.9–41.9 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.6–10.3 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.9%74.6–80.9 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62%58.6–65.5 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.2%84.6–87.8 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.1%76.6–81.6 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.5%63.1–71.8 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.1%71.7–83.9 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%20–26.4 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.8%25.5–34.3 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.8%18–23.9 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.5%11.6–15.5 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.5%9–12 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.1%5.4–7 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.2%6.4–8.1 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.4%12.5–16.5 | 12.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.3%29.5–37.4 | 29.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16%14.2–18.1 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14%12.5–15.7 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.6–9.4 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%7.9–9.8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.8–4.7 | 3.5% | 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 Wisconsin figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Alma
Is Alma a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alma is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 25%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Alma?
CDC estimates 39.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 33% and 47.2%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Alma?
Black River Memorial Hospital in Black River Falls, 9.6 miles in a straight line from Alma’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Alma have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–10.3%), against 8% across Wisconsin.
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 Alma more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Alma.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Wisconsin 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.