Photo: college.library · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Madison as a whole is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Madison differs from Wisconsin on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Madison. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Madison
Madison has three hospitals within its borders
3 hospitals and 1 community health center are inside Madison. University of WI Hospitals & Clinics Authority is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room, one of two five-star hospitals in town. Getting care ↓
Heart disease and arthritis are less common in Madison
Madison runs below Wisconsin on eight chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (4.2% vs 6.6%), arthritis (17% vs 26.6%) and COPD (4.2% vs 6.5%). A young population is part of it: only 13% of residents are 65 or older (Wisconsin 19%). Conditions ↓
Madison is an active town
Only 22% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.6% across Wisconsin. The town has 155 miles of trails across 260 parks and preserves. 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 Madison’s likely range.
What’s behind Madison’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Madison is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #48 of 357 in Wisconsin. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 98% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 60%.
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). Madison’s median household income is $78,050; among the 10,830 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$98K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
At 286,233 residents, Madison is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Madison
3 hospitals and 1 community health center in Madison, 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 Madison; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Madison adults…
Madison runs below WI on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Madison residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Wisconsin. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
155 miles of trails across 260 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Madison adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Madison adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
1 in 3 Madison 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.
13.9% of Madison adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Madison and the towns around it
Madison’s Health Grade ranks 11th of 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | A | 32.7% | 7.4% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Burke | A | 33.9% | 8.5% | 10.8% | ZIP codes |
| Blooming Grove | A | 32.8% | 8.2% | 9.7% | ZIP codes |
| Westport | A | 32.8% | 8.7% | 9.7% | ZIP codes |
| Monona | A | 33.1% | 9.4% | 9.9% | CDC place |
| Fitchburg | A | 33.4% | 7.9% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| Middleton | A | 31.6% | 8.3% | 8.6% | CDC place |
| Verona | A+ | 30.5% | 7% | 7.8% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Madison adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Madison
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Madison is better than Wisconsin on 14 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Madison’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Madison | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.6%13–16.3 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.5%9.4–11.7 | 12.9% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.8–18.3 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.7%28.8–36.8 | 37.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.4%6.5–8.4 | 11.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 23.5%21.2–25.9 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 26.9%24.4–29.5 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 17%15.3–18.8 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.1–11.4 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6%5.5–6.6 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.2%3.8–4.7 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.2%2–2.4 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.6%6.2–9.2 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.2%9–11.6 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22%19.3–24.7 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.8%18.1–23.7 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.6%26.2–33 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.9%6.9–9.1 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72%68.7–75 | 77.6% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.7%64–69.3 | 67.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.6%78.6–82.4 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.7%66.8–72.3 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.8%68.2–75.1 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%72.7–83.2 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.4%22.7–28.3 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.6%29.2–36.1 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.4%17–22 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.5%11.9–15.1 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.3%9–11.7 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5.2–6.8 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.3%7.4–9.3 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.9%12.4–15.4 | 12.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.1%23.4–28.9 | 29.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.8%7.8–9.9 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%12.2–15 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.8–4.5 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%7–8.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.4–2.9 | 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 Madison
Is Madison a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Madison is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #48 of 357 in Wisconsin. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Madison?
CDC estimates 32.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.8% and 36.8%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Madison?
University of WI Hospitals & Clinics Authority in Madison, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Madison’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Madison have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.9–9.1%), 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 Madison 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 Madison.
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.