On CDC estimates, Aurora is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns
Aurora differs from Wisconsin on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 54151, 54121. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Aurora
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Aurora
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.8%), vs 6.5% across Wisconsin. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.6%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. Stroke is also above the state: 4.3%, vs 3.4% across Wisconsin. In all, Aurora runs above Wisconsin on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Wisconsin 19%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Aurora is short on primary care and mental health care
Aurora’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
More Aurora adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31%), vs 26.6% across Wisconsin. There are 48 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Aurora, and more people treating it
38.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Wisconsin 33.3%), but 80.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Aurora’s likely range; Aurora’s figures come from ZIP codes 54151, 54121, 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 Aurora’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Aurora is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 69% 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). Aurora’s median household income is $78,935; among the 10,797 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$99K), it’s healthier than 24%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Aurora compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.9% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Aurora adults…
Aurora runs above WI on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Aurora is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Wisconsin. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Aurora as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Aurora
No hospital or community health center in Aurora 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 Aurora; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
48 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Aurora adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Aurora adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
3 in 10 Aurora 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.
14.2% of Aurora adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Aurora and the towns around it
Aurora’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora | C | 38.7% | 13.8% | 16.9% | ZIP codes |
| Florence | C+ | 37.8% | 14.6% | 14.6% | ZIP codes |
| Homestead | — | — | — | — | |
| Dunbar | — | — | — | — | |
| Niagara | — | — | — | — | |
| Commonwealth | — | — | — | — |
Homestead, Dunbar and Commonwealth: fewer than 1,000 residents. Niagara: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Aurora adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Aurora
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Aurora is better than Wisconsin on 1 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Aurora’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Aurora | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.6%18.3–23 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%14–17.2 | 12.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.4–17.5 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.7%33.2–44.3 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.8%12.3–15.4 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 38.3%35.1–41.6 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.8%35.7–42.1 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.5%29.8–35.3 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%10.3–12.5 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.5%9.6–11.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.6%7.8–9.4 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.8%7.8–9.9 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.9–4.7 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.2%10.3–14.5 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.9%14.7–19.2 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31%27.2–34.9 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.6%15.3–20.2 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5%27.8–37.4 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%6.5–9.1 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.2%76.4–81.7 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.5%61.5–67.4 | 67.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.3%85.8–88.8 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.9%78.6–83 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.6%64.7–72.3 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.9%69.6–81.2 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24%21.3–27 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.1%25.7–33 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.2%17.9–23.1 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.7%10.8–14.8 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.5%8.3–10.9 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%4.9–6.5 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.8%6–7.6 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.2%12.2–16.4 | 12.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.9%31.4–38.6 | 29.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.2%15.3–19.2 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14%12.6–15.6 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%8.2–9.9 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.7–5.8 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%8.2–10.3 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4–5 | 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 Aurora
Is Aurora a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Aurora is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 24%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Aurora?
CDC estimates 38.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.2% and 44.3%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Aurora?
Dickinson County Memorial Hospital in Iron Mountain, 4.6 miles in a straight line from Aurora’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Aurora have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–9.1%), 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 Aurora 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 Aurora.
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.