Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Shawano is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns
Shawano trails Wisconsin on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Shawano. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shawano
Making ends meet is harder in Shawano
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (16.8%), vs 12.1% across Wisconsin. No reliable transportation (9.3% vs 6.7%) and utility shut-off threats (7.6% vs 5.5%) are higher too. 18.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD and stroke run high in Shawano
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.8%), vs 6.5% across Wisconsin. 1 in 23 adults have had a stroke (4.3%), vs 3.4% across Wisconsin. In all, Shawano runs above Wisconsin on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Shawano
61.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67.1% across Wisconsin. Among those 65 and older, 12.5% have lost all their teeth (Wisconsin 9.9%). Checkups ↓
Shawano has a top-rated hospital
Thedacare Medical Center - Shawano is rated 4 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 Shawano’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Shawano’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shawano is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns, #347 of 357 in Wisconsin. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 40% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Shawano’s median household income is $57,490; among the 8,163 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 35%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Most Wisconsin towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Shawano is healthier than 3% of graded towns, against 21% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.7% of Shawano adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Out of every 100 Shawano adults…
Shawano runs above WI on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Shawano adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
Care in and near Shawano
1 hospital in Shawano, 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 Shawano; ≈ 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.
2.2 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
How Shawano adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Shawano runs above Wisconsin.
1 in 3 Shawano 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.
Shawano and the towns around it
Shawano’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawano | C− | 41.6% | 13.1% | 18.3% | CDC place |
| Wescott · Richmond | C | 40.7% | 13.1% | 16.9% | ZIP 54166 |
| Waukechon | C | 40.3% | 12.8% | 16.6% | ZIP codes |
| Belle Plaine | C | 40.2% | 13.3% | 16.9% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Shawano adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shawano
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shawano is better than Wisconsin on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Shawano’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shawano | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.2%19.4–25.3 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.7–17.4 | 12.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.6–19.6 | 15.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.6%34.6–48.6 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.4–14.9 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%31.5–39.2 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.5%31.6–39.5 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.4%27.2–33.5 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.2 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.3–10.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.3–9.1 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.8%7.7–10 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.9–4.7 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.5%10.4–15.1 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.3%15.8–21 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.4%27.8–37.2 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.9%14.8–21.1 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.4%30.1–41.3 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.4%7.8–11 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.2%74.7–81.3 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.4%58.1–64.7 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%81.9–85.8 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.6%76.9–82 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.2%60.7–69.8 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.2%68.4–81.6 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%19.9–26.6 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.3%27.7–37.3 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.4%18.3–24.8 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.8%14.4–19.7 | 12.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.4%10.7–14.5 | 9.7% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.6%6.6–8.8 | 5.5% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.3%8.2–10.6 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.7%16.2–21.9 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.5%30.3–38.9 | 29.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.2%15–19.5 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.8%14–17.8 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.9%7.9–9.9 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.5%9.3–11.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 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 Shawano
Is Shawano a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shawano is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #347 of 357 in Wisconsin. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 35%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shawano?
CDC estimates 41.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.6% and 48.6%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shawano?
Thedacare Medical Center - Shawano in Shawano, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Shawano’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Shawano have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–11%), 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 Shawano more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Shawano.
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.