Photo: Asher Heimermann · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Elkhart Lake is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Elkhart Lake differs from Wisconsin on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elkhart Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elkhart Lake
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Elkhart Lake
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.9%), vs 8.6% across Wisconsin. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.2%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. Arthritis is also above the state: 32.4%, vs 26.6% across Wisconsin. In all, Elkhart Lake runs above Wisconsin on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 42% of residents are 65 or older (Wisconsin 19%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Elkhart Lake, and more people treating it
40% of adults have high blood pressure (Wisconsin 33.3%), but 83.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
Elkhart Lake keeps up with checkups
It beats Wisconsin on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (82.5% vs 77.6%) and dentist visits (73.9% vs 67.1%). Checkups ↓
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 Elkhart Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Elkhart Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elkhart Lake is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 97% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 47%).
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). Elkhart Lake’s median household income is $94,250; among the 9,390 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$118K), it’s healthier than 73%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Elkhart Lake adults…
Elkhart Lake runs above WI on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Elkhart Lake is an older town: 42% 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 Elkhart Lake as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Elkhart Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
Care in and near Elkhart Lake
No hospital or community health center in Elkhart Lake 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 Elkhart Lake; ≈ 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.
0.7 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Elkhart Lake adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Elkhart Lake does better than Wisconsin.
1 in 4 Elkhart Lake 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.
6.3% of Elkhart Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Elkhart Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart Lake | A− | 33.5% | 12% | 10.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elkhart Lake adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elkhart Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elkhart Lake is better than Wisconsin on 13 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Elkhart Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elkhart Lake | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.4%12.4–18.8 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%10.6–15.1 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.6–14.4 | 15.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.5%27.2–40.1 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12%9.9–14.3 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40%35.3–44.6 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.5%35–44.2 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.4%28.4–36.5 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.5–11.4 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.9%11.5–14.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%6.9–9.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.5%5.1–8 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.8%7–10.7 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.4%8–13.1 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 26%20.8–31.6 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17%14–20.6 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.4%23.9–33.3 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.2%4–6.8 | 8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.5%79.3–85.6 | 77.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.9%70.8–76.5 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.1%89.3–92.6 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.1%79.9–85.9 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76%72.1–79.5 | 69.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.4%78–87.8 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20%16.8–23.7 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26.8%23–30.7 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17%14.3–19.9 | 20.2% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.4%4.9–8.2 | 12.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.3%4.2–6.5 | 9.7% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3%2.5–3.6 | 5.5% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.9%3.3–4.7 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.3%4.7–8.1 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.9%24.1–33.8 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%11.3–17.2 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.7%8–11.5 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.3–10 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3–4.4 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.5%5.3–7.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.4–3.6 | 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 Elkhart Lake
Is Elkhart Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elkhart Lake is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 73%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elkhart Lake?
CDC estimates 33.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.2% and 40.1%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elkhart Lake?
St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan, 14.1 miles in a straight line from Elkhart Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Elkhart Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4–6.8%), 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 Elkhart Lake more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Elkhart Lake.
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.