Black River Falls Public Library · Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Wisconsin, Black River Falls is healthier than 10% of graded towns
Black River Falls trails Wisconsin on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Black River Falls. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Black River Falls
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Black River Falls
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.5%), vs 6.5% across Wisconsin. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.4%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. Stroke is also above the state: 4.3%, vs 3.4% across Wisconsin. In all, Black River Falls runs above Wisconsin on six 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 ↓
Smoking is more common in Black River Falls
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.6%), vs 13.6% across Wisconsin. Habits ↓
Black River Falls is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its C tops all three graded neighbors. The closest is Albion (C−). Around town ↓
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 Black River Falls’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Black River Falls’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Black River Falls is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns, #322 of 357 in Wisconsin. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 63% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 17%).
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 River Falls’ median household income is $66,632; among the 10,159 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 40%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Black River Falls adults…
Black River Falls runs above WI on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Black River Falls 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 Black River Falls as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
4.1 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Black River Falls and the towns around it
Black River Falls has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black River Falls | C | 39.1% | 13.3% | 16.6% | CDC place |
| Adams | C− | 41.2% | 13.8% | 19% | ZIP codes |
| Brockway | C− | 41.3% | 13.8% | 19.1% | ZIP 54615 |
| Albion | C− | 40.8% | 13.4% | 18.6% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Black River Falls
1 hospital in Black River Falls, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 River Falls; ≈ 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 Black River Falls adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Black River Falls adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
3 in 10 Black River Falls 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.
15.4% of Black River Falls adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Black River Falls adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Black River Falls
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Black River Falls is better than Wisconsin on 0 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Black River Falls’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Black River Falls | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21%17.9–24.6 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.3–17.5 | 12.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.3–18.6 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.1%31.8–47 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.3%11.4–15.4 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.4%34.3–42.8 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.9%32.8–41.2 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.4%28.1–35 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%10–12.8 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9.1–11.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.4–9.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.5%7.2–10.1 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.7–4.9 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18%14.8–21.7 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.6%13.9–19.8 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.4%26.4–37.1 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.8–19.6 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.3%27.3–40 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.4%6.8–10.4 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%75.2–81.8 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.3%62–68.8 | 67.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.8%83.9–87.7 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.9%77.3–82.4 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.1%62.5–71.7 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%68.5–82.6 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.7%20.3–27.5 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.9%25.2–35 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.9%16.8–23.3 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.7%11.2–16.4 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.3%8.5–12.1 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.2%5.3–7.3 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.4%6.4–8.6 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.4%12.6–18.4 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.7%30.2–39.9 | 29.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%14.4–19.8 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.3%12.3–16.6 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%8–10.3 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%4.8–6.4 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.5%8.2–11.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.7–5 | 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 Black River Falls
Is Black River Falls a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Black River Falls is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #322 of 357 in Wisconsin. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 40%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Black River Falls?
CDC estimates 39.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.8% and 47%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Black River Falls?
Black River Memorial Hospital in Black River Falls, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Black River Falls’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Black River Falls have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–10.4%), 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 River Falls 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 Black River Falls.
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.