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Health in Oulu · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Oulu residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Oulu, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 54847, 54820. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Oulu

Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Oulu

1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.7%), vs 8.6% across Wisconsin. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.6%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. Arthritis is also above the state: 33.1%, vs 26.6% across Wisconsin. In all, Oulu runs above Wisconsin on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

The nearest ER is 29 miles from Oulu

The closest emergency room is Aspirus Lake View Hospital in Two Harbors, 28.7 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Lakes Community Health Center, Inc the is closer (5.9 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓

More high blood pressure in Oulu, and more people treating it

39.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Wisconsin 33.3%), but 82.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓

Fewer Oulu adults struggle to make ends meet

Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Wisconsin. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓

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 Oulu’s likely range; Oulu’s figures come from ZIP codes 54847, 54820, which may reach past town lines.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Oulu adults…

Oulu runs above WI on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

12 of every 100 Oulu adults have had cancer
Wisconsin: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 10.7–12.8%
Better than WIWorseAbout the sameWisconsin
Getting care

Care in and near Oulu

No hospital or community health center in Oulu itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERAspirus Lake View HospitalTwo Harbors · 28.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careLakes Community Health Center, Inc theIron River · 5.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5.9 mi
Lakes Community Health Center, Inc the
5 sites · nearest in Iron River
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
27 mi
Lake Superior Community Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Superior
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
28.7 mi
Aspirus Lake View Hospital
Two Harbors · not rated
ERRural critical access
28.9 mi
Tamarack Health Ashland Medical Center
Ashland · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
29.5 mi
St. Marys Hospital Superior
Superior · not rated
ERRural critical access
30.5 mi
St. Lukes Hospital
Duluth · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careOulu is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careOulu is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Oulu itself

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 Oulu; ≈ 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).

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Oulu adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.

80%Yearly checkupWI 78%
70%Dentist visitWI 67%
90%Cholesterol checkWI 86%
72%Colon screeningWI 69%
80%MammogramWI 80%
83%Taking BP medsWI 78%
1 in 17
working-age adults has no health insurance
Oulu 6% · Wisconsin 1 in 13 (8%)
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 11
Oulu adults worry about having enough food
8.9% · WI 12.1%
Better than WI
1 in 14
Oulu adults worry about keeping their housing
7.1% · WI 9.7%
Better than WI
1 in 24
Oulu adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.2% · WI 5.5%
Better than WI
1 in 19
Oulu adults lack reliable transportation
5.3% · WI 6.7%
Better than WI

9.5% of Oulu adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin

Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.

Get no exercise 26.5%WI 26.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 30.7%WI 32.6%
Binge drink 16.6%WI 19%
Smoke cigarettes 13.1%WI 13.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Oulu, betterOulu, worseAbout the sameWisconsin
Where Oulu gets moving

4.8 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Oulu adults are doing

About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.

3 in 10Oulu adults feel lonely
28% · WI 30.6% · About the same as WI
1 in 6Oulu adults lack social or emotional support
18% · WI 20.2% · About the same as WI
1 in 4Oulu adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.1% · WI 23.2% · About the same as WI
1 in 7Oulu adults are in frequent mental distress
14% · WI 15.5% · About the same as WI
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Oulu adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Oulu and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Tripp: 38.5%Orienta: 38.7%Brule: 40.6%Hughes: 39.2%Cloverland: 40.9%Barksdale: 40.9%Iron River: 38.5%Washburn: no dataPort Wing: 38.5%Maple: 41.3%Highland: 40.6%Lake Nebagamon: 41.2%Barnes: 40.4%Delta: 38.9%Oulu: 38.9%OuluTrippOrientaBruleHughesCloverlandTamarack Health Ashland Medical Center · Ashland · 28.9 mi · 3★ MedicareHNorthlakes - Iron River · Iron River · 5.9 mi+
Healthier than WINear WILess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#5 of 14 towns on this map, healthiest first
Tripp38.5%
Orienta38.7%
Oulu38.9%
Hughes39.2%
Brule40.6%
Cloverland40.9%
WI37.7%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Tripp————
Orienta————
Brule————
Cloverland————
Hughes————

Tripp, Orienta, Brule, Cloverland and Hughes: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

31.3%

of Oulu adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.4%
Thinking or memory11.5%
Hearing8.8%
Errands alone7.6%
Vision4.3%
Dressing or bathing3.7%
Wisconsin

Questions about health in Oulu

Why doesn’t Oulu have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Oulu.

What hospital is closest to Oulu?

Aspirus Lake View Hospital in Two Harbors, 28.7 miles in a straight line from Oulu’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.

Where can I get low-cost care near Oulu?

1 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Northlakes - Iron River in Iron River, 5.9 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Oulu.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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. 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.