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–Not graded
Health in Rock Falls · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Rock Falls residents get care

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

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 54442, 54487, 54452. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Rock Falls

Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run high in Rock Falls

1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.7%), vs 6.5% across Wisconsin. Arthritis is also above the state: 34.7%, vs 26.6% across Wisconsin. In all, Rock Falls runs above Wisconsin on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 34% of residents are 65 or older (Wisconsin 19%), and heart disease, COPD and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

More high blood pressure in Rock Falls, and more people treating it

39.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Wisconsin 33.3%), but 81% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. 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 Rock Falls’ likely range; Rock Falls’ figures come from ZIP codes 54442, 54487, 54452, which may reach past town lines.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Rock Falls adults…

Rock Falls runs above WI on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

9 of every 100 Rock Falls adults have heart disease
Wisconsin: 7 in 100 · worse · likely 8.1–10%
Better than WIWorseAbout the sameWisconsin
Why age matters here

Rock Falls is an older town: 34% 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 Rock Falls as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Rock Falls34%
Wisconsin19%
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%Yearly checkupWI 78%
67%Dentist visitWI 67%
89%Cholesterol checkWI 86%
72%Colon screeningWI 69%
79%MammogramWI 80%
81%Taking BP medsWI 78%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Rock Falls 7.3% · Wisconsin 1 in 13 (8%)
Getting care

Care in and near Rock Falls

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

HNearest ERAspirus Merrill HospitalMerrill · 10 miDirections →
+Low-cost carePrimary Connection HealthcareMerrill · 9.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
9.6 mi
Primary Connection Healthcare
4 sites · nearest in Merrill
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
10 mi
Aspirus Merrill Hospital
Merrill · not rated
ERRural critical access
12.1 mi
Aspirus Tomahawk Hospital
Tomahawk · not rated
ERRural critical access
24.2 mi
Aspirus Wausau Hospital
Wausau · ★★★★★
ER
28.6 mi
Family Health Center of Marshfield
4 sites · nearest in Rhinelander
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
30.4 mi
Aspirus Rhinelander Hospital
Rhinelander · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careRock Falls is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careRock Falls is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Rock Falls 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 Rock Falls; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin

Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.

Get no exercise 30%WI 26.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 32%WI 32.6%
Binge drink 17.1%WI 19%
Smoke cigarettes 15.6%WI 13.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Rock Falls, betterRock Falls, worseAbout the sameWisconsin
Where Rock Falls gets moving

13 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Rock Falls adults are doing

About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.

3 in 10Rock Falls adults feel lonely
29.5% · WI 30.6% · About the same as WI
1 in 5Rock Falls adults lack social or emotional support
19.1% · WI 20.2% · About the same as WI
1 in 4Rock Falls adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.3% · WI 23.2% · About the same as WI
1 in 7Rock Falls adults are in frequent mental distress
15.1% · WI 15.5% · About the same as WI
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Rock Falls 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.

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 9
Rock Falls adults worry about having enough food
11.7% · WI 12.1%
About the same as WI
1 in 11
Rock Falls adults worry about keeping their housing
8.9% · WI 9.7%
About the same as WI
1 in 20
Rock Falls adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.1% · WI 5.5%
About the same as WI
1 in 16
Rock Falls adults lack reliable transportation
6.3% · WI 6.7%
About the same as WI

12.7% of Rock Falls adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.

Around town

Rock Falls and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Harding: 42.1%Birch: 41.7%Merrill: 42.4%Bradley: 40.8%Corning: 42.4%Tomahawk: 39.8%Scott: 42.4%Russell: 40.3%Skanawan: 42.5%Merrill: 43.6%Schley: 41.5%Pine River: 42.4%King: 40.7%Nokomis: 40.7%Wilson: 40.4%Rock Falls: 42%Rock FallsHardingBirchMerrillBradleyAspirus Merrill Hospital · Merrill · 10 miHAspirus Tomahawk Hospital · Tomahawk · 12.1 miHBridge Community Health Clinic - Behavioral Health Merrill · Merrill · 9.6 mi+
Healthier than WINear WILess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#9 of 16 towns on this map, healthiest first
Bradley40.8%
Birch41.7%
Rock Falls42%
Harding42.1%
Merrill42.4%
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
Harding————
Birch————
MerrillC42.4%12.6%16.3%ZIP codes
BradleyC+40.8%13.8%15.1%ZIP codes

Harding and Birch: 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.

34.6%

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

Walking or climbing stairs17%
Thinking or memory13%
Hearing9.5%
Errands alone8.8%
Vision5%
Dressing or bathing4.2%
Wisconsin

Questions about health in Rock Falls

Why doesn’t Rock Falls have a Health Grade?

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

What hospital is closest to Rock Falls?

Aspirus Merrill Hospital in Merrill, 10.0 miles in a straight line from Rock Falls’ 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 Rock Falls?

1 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Bridge Community Health Clinic - Behavioral Health Merrill in Merrill, 9.6 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Rock Falls.

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.