Photo: Cbradshaw · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Mercer is healthier than 64%
Mercer differs from Wisconsin on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 54547, 54514. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Mercer
Heart disease, cancer and COPD run high in Mercer
1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.3%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. 1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13.2%), vs 8.6% across Wisconsin. COPD is also above the state: 9.4%, vs 6.5% across Wisconsin. In all, Mercer runs above Wisconsin on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 44% of residents are 65 or older (Wisconsin 19%), and heart disease, cancer and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Mercer is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Mercer is healthier than 44%. Against the 9,622 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 64%. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Mercer, and more people treating it
41.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Wisconsin 33.3%), but 84.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
The nearest ER is 21 miles from Mercer
The closest emergency room is Flambeau Hospital in Park Falls, 21.3 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Family Health Center of Marshfield is closer (3.8 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Mercer keeps up with checkups
It beats Wisconsin on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (82.2% vs 77.6%) and cholesterol checks (90.9% vs 85.9%). 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 Mercer’s likely range; Mercer’s figures come from ZIP codes 54547, 54514, 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 Mercer’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mercer is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 94% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Mercer’s median household income is $63,281; among the 9,622 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 64%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Mercer compares well: checkup in the past year, 82.2% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 90.9% (U.S. 87.1%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 84.9% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Mercer adults…
Mercer runs above WI on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Mercer is an older town: 44% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Wisconsin. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Mercer as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Mercer adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
Care in and near Mercer
1 community health center in Mercer, 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 Mercer; ≈ 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.
51 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves
How Mercer adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Mercer does better than Wisconsin.
3 in 10 Mercer 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.
10.8% of Mercer adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Mercer 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
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer | C+ | 34.7% | 15.6% | 14.5% | ZIP codes |
| Sherman | — | — | — | — | |
| Oma | — | — | — | — | |
| Knight | — | — | — | — | |
| Agenda | — | — | — | — | |
| Carey | — | — | — | — | |
| Winchester | — | — | — | — | |
| Manitowish Waters | — | — | — | — |
Sherman, Oma, Knight, Agenda, Carey, Winchester and Manitowish Waters: 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 Mercer adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Mercer
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Mercer is better than Wisconsin on 9 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Mercer’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Mercer | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.3%17.1–23.7 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.2–17.6 | 12.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.4–15 | 15.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.7%27.5–42.9 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.6%13.3–18 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.5%36.7–46.4 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.6%37–46.1 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 36.9%32.6–41.2 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.3–11.9 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.2%11.9–14.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.3%8.9–11.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.4%7.7–11.1 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.9%4.2–5.5 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.5%7.6–11.6 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.5%11.7–17.3 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.2%25.1–35.8 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.2%12.5–17.9 | 19% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.8%22.3–33.9 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.4%5–8 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.2%79–84.8 | 77.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.7%66.4–72.9 | 67.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.9%89.5–92.2 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.9%82.3–87.2 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.1%71.8–80.2 | 69.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.2%72.3–85.1 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.5%17.3–23.9 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.9%23.3–32.9 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.9%15–21.3 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.8%7.7–12.2 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.1%5.8–8.6 | 9.7% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.3%3.6–5.1 | 5.5% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.4%4.6–6.3 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.8%8.5–13.3 | 12.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.9%28.1–37.9 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.1%15.2–21.1 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.6%9.9–13.4 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.4%9–11.6 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.4–5.9 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.1–9.7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%3.7–5.2 | 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 Mercer
Is Mercer a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mercer is healthier than 44% 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 Mercer?
CDC estimates 34.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.5% and 42.9%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Mercer?
Flambeau Hospital in Park Falls, 21.3 miles in a straight line from Mercer’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Mercer have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5–8%), 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 Mercer 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 Mercer.
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.