Photo: VazDrae · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Black Earth is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Black Earth beats Wisconsin on 3 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Black Earth. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Black Earth
What’s behind Black Earth’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Black Earth is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 83% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 57%.
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). Black Earth’s median household income is $75,625; among the 10,847 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$95K), it’s healthier than 88%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Black Earth adults…
On every condition, Black Earth is about the same as Wisconsin. Tap one to see it as people.
Black Earth is an older town: 32% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Wisconsin. Many conditions rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Black Earth as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Black Earth
No hospital or community health center in Black Earth 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 Black Earth; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Black Earth adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Black Earth adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
3 in 10 Black Earth 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.
10% of Black Earth adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Black Earth and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Earth | A− | 35.2% | 9.8% | 13% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Black Earth adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Black Earth
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Black Earth is better than Wisconsin on 3 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Black Earth’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Black Earth | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.5%12.7–18.4 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%10.6–14.5 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.2–17.6 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%30.6–39.8 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.8%8.3–11.4 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.4%27.2–33.4 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.6%29.5–35.6 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.6%22–27.2 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.6 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8–10 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.3–7.1 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.1%4.9–7.3 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.7–3.6 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.4%8.5–12.6 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13%10.1–15.9 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.8%19.5–28.2 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.9%17.3–22.7 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.2%24.8–31.6 | 32.6% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%5.2–8.6 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75%72–77.9 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.6%68.9–74.2 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.5%84.3–88.5 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.6%74.5–80.2 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.8%69.1–76.2 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.2%69.8–81.6 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%22.3–28.3 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.1%26.7–33.7 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.9%16.1–21.8 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.5%7.3–11.9 | 12.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.3%6.7–10.2 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.6%3.8–5.6 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.7–6.7 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10%7.5–12.6 | 12.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28%23.7–32.1 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.2%10–14.3 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.2%10.1–14.2 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%5.8–7.7 | 6.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.2–4.4 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.2%6–8.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.6–3.6 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Black Earth
Is Black Earth a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Black Earth is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 88%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Black Earth?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.6% and 39.8%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Black Earth?
Sauk Prairie Hospital in Prairie Du Sac, 13.4 miles in a straight line from Black Earth’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Black Earth have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–8.6%), 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 Black Earth more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Black Earth.
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.