Oehler Mill Complex · Photo: Jeff the quiet · CC0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Shelby is healthier than 26%
Shelby differs from Wisconsin on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 54601, 54658, 54623. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shelby
What’s behind Shelby’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shelby is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, #232 of 357 in Wisconsin. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 84% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 30%).
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). Shelby’s median household income is $110,341; among the 7,084 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($83K–$138K), it’s healthier than 26%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Wisconsin towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Shelby is healthier than 35% of graded towns, against 57% nationally.
Out of every 100 Shelby adults…
Shelby runs below WI on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Shelby
No hospital or community health center in Shelby 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 Shelby; ≈ 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.
19 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Shelby adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Shelby adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Shelby runs above Wisconsin.
1 in 3 Shelby 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.
15.7% of Shelby adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Shelby and the towns around it
Shelby’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Shelby adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shelby
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shelby is better than Wisconsin on 4 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Shelby’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shelby | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18%16–20.5 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.9%11.5–14.5 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%16.3–20.3 | 15.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38%32.4–43.6 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.5–10.9 | 11.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.3%26.3–32.3 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.1%29.9–36.3 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.4%22–26.8 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.4–13 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.8%7.1–8.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.4–6.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.3%5.6–7 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.2 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.4%8.4–12.7 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%11.6–15.3 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.7%23–30.6 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.8%16.8–22.9 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.6%27.5–37.8 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.5%6.3–8.8 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.5%74.3–80.5 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.3%61.9–68.5 | 67.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81%79.1–82.9 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.1%71.7–76.4 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.9%66.4–75 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.2%75–86.3 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.4%23.1–29.7 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.3%29–37.7 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.4%16.6–22.3 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.8%11.8–16.1 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10%8.5–11.6 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.2%5.3–7.3 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.7%7.6–9.8 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.7%13.5–17.9 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.7%29.1–36.5 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.4%11–14 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.6%14–17.5 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6.1–7.5 | 6.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.5–10.7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Shelby
Is Shelby a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shelby is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #232 of 357 in Wisconsin. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shelby?
CDC estimates 38% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.4% and 43.6%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shelby?
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, 3.7 miles in a straight line from Shelby’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Shelby have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.3–8.8%), 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 Shelby more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Shelby.
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.