Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Decatur is healthier than 14%
Decatur trails Wisconsin on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 53520, 53550. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Decatur
Decatur trails towns with similar incomes
Decatur is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns, and only 14% of the 8,415 towns with similar household incomes ($76K–$126K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD and heart disease run high in Decatur
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.8%), vs 6.5% across Wisconsin. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.6%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. Conditions ↓
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 Decatur’s likely range; Decatur’s figures come from ZIP codes 53520, 53550, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Decatur’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Decatur is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 65% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Decatur’s median household income is $101,167; among the 8,415 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$126K), it’s healthier than 14%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Decatur adults…
Decatur runs above WI on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Decatur
No hospital or community health center in Decatur 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 Decatur; ≈ 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.
11 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Decatur adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Decatur adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
3 in 10 Decatur 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.
13.3% of Decatur adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Decatur and the towns around it
Decatur’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | C+ | 42% | 12.3% | 15.7% | ZIP codes |
| Brodhead | C | 42.3% | 11.7% | 16.4% | CDC place |
| Sylvester | B− | 40.6% | 11.6% | 14.2% | ZIP codes |
| Albany | — | — | — | — | |
| Spring Grove | — | — | — | — | |
| Spring Valley | — | — | — | — |
Albany: not graded. Spring Grove and Spring Valley: 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 Decatur adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Decatur
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Decatur is better than Wisconsin on 0 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Decatur’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Decatur | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.5%17.2–22 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.8–16 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.5–18.1 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42%35.7–48.4 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.3%10.8–13.9 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.8%33.3–40.4 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37%33.5–40.8 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.6%26.7–32.5 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.9–12.3 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.6–10.3 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.9–8.4 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%7–8.7 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.7%9.1–12.5 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.7%13.6–17.9 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.5%25.5–33.8 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.7%15.1–20.7 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.4%29.4–39.6 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8%6.7–9.4 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.4%74.3–80.3 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.8%59.7–65.8 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.8%84.3–87.5 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79%76.5–81.3 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.2%64.3–72.1 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.7%73–83.6 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%20.9–27.1 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%25.7–33.6 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.9%17.3–22.8 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.1%10.2–14 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.5%8.1–10.9 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%4.8–6.4 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.3%11.3–15.4 | 12.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.8%29.1–36.7 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.1%13.3–17 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.9%12.3–15.6 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.4–9.1 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.9–9.8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.6–4.4 | 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 Decatur
Is Decatur a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Decatur is healthier than 39% 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 Decatur?
CDC estimates 42% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.7% and 48.4%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Decatur?
The Monroe Clinic in Monroe, 10.7 miles in a straight line from Decatur’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Decatur have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.7–9.4%), 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 Decatur more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Decatur.
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.