Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Buffalo City is healthier than 68%
Buffalo City differs from Wisconsin on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Buffalo City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Buffalo City
Heart disease and cancer run high in Buffalo City
1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.2%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. 1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.6%), vs 8.6% across Wisconsin. In all, Buffalo City runs above Wisconsin on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Wisconsin 19%), and heart disease and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Buffalo City is short on primary care and mental health care
Buffalo City’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 high blood pressure in Buffalo City, and more people treating it
37.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Wisconsin 33.3%), but 81% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
Buffalo City is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Buffalo City is healthier than 45%. Against the 9,153 towns with similar household incomes ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 68%. 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 Wisconsin figure falls outside Buffalo City’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Buffalo City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buffalo City is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 81% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 24%).
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). Buffalo City’s median household income is $60,865; among the 9,153 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 68%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Buffalo City compares well: lost all teeth (ages 65+), 7.3% (U.S. 12.3%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 81% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Buffalo City adults…
Buffalo City runs below WI on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Buffalo City is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Wisconsin. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Buffalo City as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Buffalo City
No hospital or community health center in Buffalo City 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 Buffalo City; ≈ 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 Buffalo City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
0.3 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How Buffalo City adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
3 in 10 Buffalo City 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.
11.2% of Buffalo City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Buffalo City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo City | C+ | 39.6% | 13.1% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| Belvidere | — | — | — | — |
Belvidere: 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 Buffalo City adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Buffalo City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Buffalo City is better than Wisconsin on 2 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Buffalo City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Buffalo City | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.5%15.6–22.2 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.4–16.7 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.2–17.3 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.6%32.7–48.3 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.3–15.3 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.5%33.8–42.2 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.1%34.3–43.1 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.6%28.5–35.7 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.6–12.2 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.5–11.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.2–9.5 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.9%6.5–9.6 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4%3.4–4.6 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.3%5.8–9.1 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%12.1–18.3 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.4%24.5–35.3 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.9%15.2–21.6 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32%25.6–38.5 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%5.5–9.2 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%76.2–82.9 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.1%66.7–73.4 | 67.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.6%85.7–89.5 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81%78.6–83.9 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.3%64.2–74.2 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%71.5–85 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.3%20.4–27.5 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29%24.3–33.9 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.1%15.9–22.6 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.5%8.2–13.1 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8%6.5–9.8 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.7%3.9–5.6 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%4.9–7 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.2%8.6–13.9 | 12.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.1%27.7–37.4 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.6%13.1–18.6 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.7%10.9–15 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.6–9.9 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%3.8–5.3 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%6.9–9.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 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 Buffalo City
Is Buffalo City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buffalo City is healthier than 45% 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 Buffalo City?
CDC estimates 39.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.7% and 48.3%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Buffalo City?
St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Wabasha, 14.4 miles in a straight line from Buffalo City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Buffalo City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–9.2%), 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 Buffalo City more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Buffalo City.
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.