On CDC estimates, Prairie Lake is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns
Prairie Lake differs from Wisconsin on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 54728, 54822. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Prairie Lake
What’s behind Prairie Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Prairie Lake is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 76% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 29%).
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). Prairie Lake’s median household income is $71,250; among the 10,615 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$89K), it’s healthier than 52%, about where its income would put it.
Where Prairie Lake compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.8% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Prairie Lake adults…
Prairie Lake runs above WI on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Prairie Lake
No hospital or community health center in Prairie Lake 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 Prairie Lake; ≈ 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Prairie Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Prairie Lake adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
3 in 10 Prairie Lake 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.
12.3% of Prairie Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Prairie Lake and the towns around it
Prairie Lake’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Lake | C+ | 38.3% | 13.1% | 15.3% | ZIP codes |
| Chetek | B− | 37.5% | 12.8% | 14.5% | CDC place |
| Chetek | C+ | 38.3% | 13.4% | 15.2% | ZIP codes |
| Stanley | B− | 38.2% | 12.2% | 15.5% | ZIP codes |
| Maple Grove | — | — | — | — | |
| Sioux Creek | — | — | — | — |
Maple Grove: not graded. Sioux Creek: 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 Prairie Lake adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Prairie Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Prairie Lake is better than Wisconsin on 1 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Prairie Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Prairie Lake | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.2%16.7–21.7 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%12.9–16.3 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.7–17.3 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.3%32.2–44.4 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.4–14.8 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.8%33–40.5 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37%33.2–40.7 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.4%27.2–33.5 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.8–12.2 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.5–11.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.3%7.4–9.1 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.2%7.2–9.2 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.7–4.4 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.4%9.4–13.7 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.3%13–17.4 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.8%24.7–33 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%15.4–21.3 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.3%26.3–36.7 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%6.1–8.6 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%75.8–81.9 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66%62.8–69.1 | 67.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.4%85.8–88.8 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.8%78.1–83.2 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.8%66.5–74.8 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.2%73.1–84.4 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%20.6–27.1 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.6%25.7–34 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.8%17.1–23 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.3%9.6–13.3 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.6%7.4–10.1 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.4–5.9 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.2%5.5–7.1 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.3%10.5–14.4 | 12.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.4%27.7–35.4 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.5%13.5–17.5 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.3%11.7–14.9 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.5–9.3 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.2 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.5–9.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.6–4.5 | 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 Prairie Lake
Is Prairie Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Prairie Lake is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 52%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Prairie Lake?
CDC estimates 38.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.2% and 44.4%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Prairie Lake?
Mayo Clinic Health System-Northland in Barron, 6.9 miles in a straight line from Prairie Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Prairie Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.6%), 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 Prairie Lake 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 Prairie Lake.
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.