Anderson, Brady and Waldermar Ager House · Photo: Jeff the quiet · CC0On CDC estimates, Eau Claire is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Eau Claire differs from Wisconsin on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Eau Claire. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Eau Claire
Eau Claire is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Eau Claire is healthier than 76%. Against the 10,256 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$84K), it’s healthier than 93%. Health Grade ↓
Depression is more common in Eau Claire
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (27%), vs 23.2% across Wisconsin. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18%, vs 15.5% across Wisconsin. Mind & connection ↓
Eau Claire has a five-star hospital
Mayo Clinic Health System Eau Claire Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Diabetes and stroke are less common in Eau Claire
Eau Claire runs below Wisconsin on eight chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (8.5% vs 11.4%), stroke (2.6% vs 3.4%) and heart disease (5.2% vs 6.6%). 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 Eau Claire’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Eau Claire’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Eau Claire is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #111 of 357 in Wisconsin. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 94% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 33%).
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). Eau Claire’s median household income is $67,395; among the 10,256 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$84K), it’s healthier than 93%, more than its income alone would suggest.
How Eau Claire adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Eau Claire runs above Wisconsin.
1 in 3 Eau Claire 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.
Care in and near Eau Claire
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Eau Claire, 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 Eau Claire; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Eau Claire adults…
Eau Claire runs below WI on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
51 miles of trails across 50 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Eau Claire 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.
12.8% of Eau Claire adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Eau Claire and the towns around it
Eau Claire’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire | A− | 30.1% | 8.5% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| Washington | A− | 30% | 9.3% | 12.3% | ZIP codes |
| Union | B+ | 31.7% | 9.2% | 13.9% | ZIP 54703 |
| Seymour | B+ | 33.8% | 9.9% | 14.3% | ZIP codes |
| Seymour | — | — | — | — | |
| Altoona | A− | 30.8% | 10.2% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| Lake Hallie | B− | 41.5% | 10.8% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Wheaton | B | 38.9% | 10.4% | 14.6% | ZIP codes |
Seymour: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Eau Claire adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Eau Claire
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Eau Claire is better than Wisconsin on 9 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Eau Claire’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Eau Claire | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.7%13.9–17.8 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10.3–13 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16.1–20.1 | 15.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.1%25.1–35.5 | 37.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.5%7.5–9.7 | 11.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27%24.2–30.1 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.2%27.1–33.5 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 21.8%19.5–24.2 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11%9.8–12.3 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.2%6.6–7.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.8%7.2–10.8 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.7%11–14.5 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.6%21.1–28.2 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20.3%17.3–23.6 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.3%30.3–40.5 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%6.5–8.7 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.1%70.6–77.5 | 77.6% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.7%64.7–70.8 | 67.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.9%78.8–82.8 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.7%70.1–75.2 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.6%64.2–72.7 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.6%73.1–84.9 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27%23.8–30.5 | 23.2% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33.7%29.6–38.2 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.5%18.7–24.7 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.2%10.4–14.2 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.5%8.2–11 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.5%4.8–6.3 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.7–8.7 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.8%11–14.7 | 12.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.3%25.8–32.9 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.7%9.4–12 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%13–16.3 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.4–6.7 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7.4–9.2 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.7–3.2 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Eau Claire
Is Eau Claire a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Eau Claire is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #111 of 357 in Wisconsin. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 93%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Eau Claire?
CDC estimates 30.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.1% and 35.5%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Eau Claire?
Mayo Clinic Health System Eau Claire Hospital in Eau Claire, 1.7 miles in a straight line from Eau Claire’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Eau Claire have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–8.7%), 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 Eau Claire more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Eau Claire.
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.