Roscius S. and Lydia R. Freeman House · Photo: AlexiusHoratius · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, River Falls is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
River Falls differs from Wisconsin on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for River Falls. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in River Falls
Diabetes and heart disease are less common in River Falls
River Falls runs below Wisconsin on eight chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (7.5% vs 11.4%), heart disease (4.4% vs 6.6%) and stroke (2.3% vs 3.4%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (Wisconsin 19%). Conditions ↓
Binge drinking is the habit River Falls doesn’t win on
22.2% of adults binge drink, vs 19% across Wisconsin, even though fewer of them smoke. Habits ↓
River Falls has a five-star hospital
River Falls Area Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 River Falls’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind River Falls’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, River Falls is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #87 of 357 in Wisconsin. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 98% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). River Falls’ median household income is $83,627; among the 10,487 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$105K), it’s healthier than 88%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 River Falls adults…
River Falls runs below WI on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of River Falls residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Wisconsin. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
15 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves
Care in and near River Falls
1 hospital in River Falls, 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 River Falls; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of River Falls adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How River Falls adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, River Falls runs above Wisconsin.
1 in 3 River Falls 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.
11.6% of River Falls adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
River Falls and the towns around it
River Falls’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Falls | A− | 32.2% | 7.5% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Troy | A− | 34.2% | 8.9% | 11.6% | ZIP codes |
| River Falls | A− | 33.2% | 8.7% | 12% | ZIP codes |
| Kinnickinnic | A− | 34.2% | 8.6% | 12.3% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of River Falls adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for River Falls
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, River Falls is better than Wisconsin on 12 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside River Falls’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | River Falls | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14%12.2–16.1 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.8%9.6–12.1 | 12.9% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%15.9–20.3 | 15.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.2%27.3–37.8 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.5%6.7–8.4 | 11.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25%22.7–27.5 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 27.5%25–30.3 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 19.4%17.7–21.3 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.3%10.2–12.6 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.2%5.7–6.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.4%4.1–4.9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.5 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.5%6.3–8.9 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.5%9.8–13.2 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22.9%19.6–26.6 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 22.2%19.3–25.6 | 19% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.5%28.7–38.1 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.6–8.6 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.6%69.2–75.9 | 77.6% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.3%64.3–70 | 67.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.4%76.7–82 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.2%68.2–72.1 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.8%64.2–71.1 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.6%72.2–82.2 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.8%22.8–29.2 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.7%29.6–38.1 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.2%16.5–22 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.4%9.3–13.8 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.1%7.6–10.6 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.5–6.2 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.3–8.8 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.6%9.5–14.1 | 12.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.1%23.7–30.9 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9%8–10.1 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.9%12.8–17.2 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.4–4.2 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%6.9–9.3 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.4–2.9 | 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 River Falls
Is River Falls a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, River Falls is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #87 of 357 in Wisconsin. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 88%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in River Falls?
CDC estimates 32.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.3% and 37.8%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to River Falls?
River Falls Area Hospital in River Falls, 1.0 miles in a straight line from River Falls’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in River Falls have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–8.6%), 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 River Falls 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 River Falls.
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.