On CDC estimates, Clayton is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns
Clayton differs from Wisconsin on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 54655, 54631. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Clayton
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Clayton
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.4%), vs 6.5% across Wisconsin. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. Stroke is also above the state: 4.5%, vs 3.4% across Wisconsin. In all, Clayton runs above Wisconsin on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Depression is more common in Clayton
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (25.8%), vs 23.2% across Wisconsin. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 17.2%, vs 15.5% across Wisconsin. Mind & connection ↓
More Clayton adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.2%), vs 26.6% 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 Clayton’s likely range; Clayton’s figures come from ZIP codes 54655, 54631, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Clayton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clayton is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 48% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Clayton’s median household income is $71,125; among the 10,597 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$89K), it’s healthier than 15%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Clayton compares well: checkup in the past year, 79.7% (U.S. 77.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Clayton adults…
Clayton runs above WI on 11 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
How Clayton adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Clayton runs above Wisconsin.
3 in 10 Clayton 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Care in and near Clayton
No hospital or community health center in Clayton 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 Clayton; ≈ 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 Clayton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.2% of Clayton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Clayton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton | C− | 41.5% | 14.5% | 18% | ZIP codes |
| Utica | — | — | — | — | |
| Kickapoo | — | — | — | — | |
| Gays Mills | — | — | — | — | |
| Akan | — | — | — | — | |
| Bell Center | — | — | — | — | |
| Haney | — | — | — | — | |
| Scott | — | — | — | — |
Utica, Kickapoo, Gays Mills, Akan, Bell Center, Haney and Scott: 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 Clayton adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Clayton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Clayton is better than Wisconsin on 2 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Clayton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Clayton | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.2%20–24.8 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.8–17.8 | 12.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15.9–18.8 | 15.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.5%37.7–47.5 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.5%13.3–16.1 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.7%37.5–42.9 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.7%36.5–41.9 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33.7%31.7–36.4 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%11–12.9 | 10.8% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.9–11.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%8.2–9.9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.4%8.3–10.6 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4.1–5 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.7%10.3–15.2 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%15.9–20.4 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.2%29–36.1 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.7%17–21.1 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.4%28.5–40.6 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%6.9–9.7 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%77.9–82 | 77.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.6%60.1–66.9 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.9%85.7–88.3 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82%80.5–83.7 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.1%64.4–73.3 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.2%68.9–82.2 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.8%23.7–28.6 | 23.2% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 29.7%25.4–34.5 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.9%17–23 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.3%11.1–15.7 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.4–11.5 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5.2–7 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.2%12.9–17.8 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.6%32.7–39.1 | 29.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.9%16.1–19.9 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%13.5–16.5 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.6–10.3 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%5.1–6.2 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.9%8.9–11 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 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 Clayton
Is Clayton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clayton is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns: C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 15%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Clayton?
CDC estimates 41.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.7% and 47.5%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Clayton?
Vernon Memorial Hospital in Viroqua, 15.1 miles in a straight line from Clayton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Clayton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.9–9.7%), 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 Clayton more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Clayton.
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.