Within Wisconsin, Medford is healthier than 14% of graded towns
Medford trails Wisconsin on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 54451. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Medford
Medford trails towns with similar incomes
Medford is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns, and only 21% of the 10,002 towns with similar household incomes ($67K–$112K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Medford is short on primary care and mental health care
Medford’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
More Medford adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (30.9%), 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 Medford’s likely range; Medford’s figures come from ZIP code 54451, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Medford’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Medford is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns, #308 of 357 in Wisconsin. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 63% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Medford’s median household income is $89,479; among the 10,002 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$112K), it’s healthier than 21%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Medford
No hospital or community health center in Medford 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 Medford; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
Out of every 100 Medford adults…
Medford runs above WI on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Medford adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Medford adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
3 in 10 Medford 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.
13.2% of Medford adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Medford 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
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Medford adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Medford
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Medford is better than Wisconsin on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Medford’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Medford | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.5%17.2–22.1 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.9–16.3 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.5–18.3 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 44.1%37.9–50.6 | 37.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.4–13.5 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.6%31.9–39.3 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%32.7–40.4 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.7%26.7–32.9 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.6–12.1 | 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 | 7.4%6.7–8.2 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%6.9–8.8 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.7%11.2–16.4 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16%13.9–18.3 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.9%26.8–35.3 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18%15.1–21.3 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.2%27.7–38.9 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.9%6.7–9.2 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%75.5–81.9 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.2%61.8–68.6 | 67.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.3%84.6–87.9 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.9%77.2–82.4 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.9%64.3–73.1 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.9%74.6–86.1 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22%18.9–25.4 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.7%26.4–35.6 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.4%16.6–22.7 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.6%9.8–13.7 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.2%7.9–10.8 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.5%4.7–6.3 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%5.8–7.6 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.2%11.3–15.4 | 12.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.8%29–36.8 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.8%13.9–17.9 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%12.2–15.4 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.3–9 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.8–9.8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%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 Medford
Is Medford a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Medford is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #308 of 357 in Wisconsin. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 21%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Medford?
CDC estimates 44.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.9% and 50.6%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Medford?
Aspirus Medford Hospital & Clinics in Medford, 2.4 miles in a straight line from Medford’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Medford have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.7–9.2%), 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 Medford more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Medford.
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.