Frank Eugene Nichols House · Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Onalaska is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Onalaska differs from Wisconsin on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Onalaska. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Onalaska
What’s behind Onalaska’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Onalaska is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #91 of 357 in Wisconsin. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 88% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 50%).
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). Onalaska’s median household income is $85,867; among the 10,322 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$107K), it’s healthier than 86%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.1% of Onalaska adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Out of every 100 Onalaska adults…
Onalaska runs below WI on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Onalaska
No hospital or community health center in Onalaska 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 Onalaska; ≈ 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.
17 miles of trails across 29 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Onalaska adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Onalaska adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
3 in 10 Onalaska 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.
Onalaska and the towns around it
Onalaska has the best Health Grade of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onalaska | A− | 36.2% | 10.2% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Onalaska | A− | 37.1% | 9.8% | 11.9% | ZIP codes |
| La Crosse | B− | 38.7% | 9.3% | 14.1% | CDC place |
| Medary | B | 37.9% | 9.3% | 12.9% | ZIP codes |
| Holmen | B+ | 37.3% | 9.6% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| Hamilton | A− | 37.8% | 10.2% | 12% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Onalaska adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Onalaska
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Onalaska is better than Wisconsin on 11 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Onalaska’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Onalaska | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.8%12.9–16.9 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%10.3–13.2 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.6–16 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.2%31–41.7 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.8–11.6 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.3%28.1–34.6 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%32.6–39.7 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.2%24.5–30 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–11.9 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.7–10.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.5%4.9–6.3 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.8–3.3 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.5%6.6–10.5 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%9.4–12.8 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 23.7%20.3–27.4 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.7%15.8–21.6 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.9%25.9–36.2 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.7%4.8–6.7 | 8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.3%77.3–82.9 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.4%70.2–76.3 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.1%86.6–89.6 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%76.2–81.4 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73%68.6–77 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.8%76.6–87.8 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%20.1–26.2 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.4%26.1–34.7 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.6%15.8–21.5 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.1%6.8–9.7 | 12.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.1%6–8.3 | 9.7% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4%3.4–4.7 | 5.5% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5%4.4–5.8 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.1%6.8–9.6 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.1%24.8–31.6 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.1%10.4–13.8 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11%9.7–12.3 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 6.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 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 Onalaska
Is Onalaska a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Onalaska is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #91 of 357 in Wisconsin. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Onalaska?
CDC estimates 36.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 31% and 41.7%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Onalaska?
Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Medical Center in La Crosse, 6.2 miles in a straight line from Onalaska’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Onalaska have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.8–6.7%), 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 Onalaska 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 Onalaska.
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.