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St. Joseph's Roman Catholic ChurchSt. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church · Photo: TheCatalyst31 · CC0
–Not graded
Health in Shields · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Shields residents get care

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

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 53098, 53594. How CDC estimates town health

Fair or poor health
18.7%
About the same as WI (17.8%)
Obesity
42%
About the same as WI (37.7%)
No exercise
29.6%
About the same as WI (26.6%)
Uninsured
8.1%
About the same as WI (8%)
Feel lonely
29.6%
About the same as WI (30.6%)
Nearest ER
6.3 mi
Watertown Memorial Hospital
What stands out

What stands out about health in Shields

10.1%have had cancer · WI 8.6%
★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Shields adults…

Shields runs above WI on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

10 of every 100 Shields adults have had cancer
Wisconsin: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 9.2–11.1%
Better than WIWorseAbout the sameWisconsin
Getting care

Care in and near Shields

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

HNearest ERWatertown Memorial HospitalWatertown · 6.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyAurora Medical Center - Summit★★★★★ · 18.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careRock River Community ClinicWatertown · 6.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
6.3 mi
Watertown Memorial Hospital
Watertown · ★★★★★
ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
6.3 mi
Rock River Community Clinic
2 sites · nearest in Watertown
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
12.7 mi
Columbus Community Hospital
Columbus · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
14.8 mi
Marshfield Medical Center - Beaver Dam (MMC-BD)
Beaver Dam · ★★★★★
ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
15.3 mi
La Clinica De Los Campesinos
2 sites · nearest in Beaver Dam
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
18.5 mi
Aurora Medical Center - Summit
Summit · ★★★★★
ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
✓ Primary careShields is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careShields is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthShields is not a shortage area

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 Shields; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin

Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.

Get no exercise 29.6%WI 26.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 33.8%WI 32.6%
Binge drink 17.7%WI 19%
Smoke cigarettes 14.6%WI 13.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Shields, betterShields, worseAbout the sameWisconsin
Where Shields gets moving

1.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

1Mud Lake Wildlife Area1 mi of trails
Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%Yearly checkupWI 78%
66%Dentist visitWI 67%
87%Cholesterol checkWI 86%
67%Colon screeningWI 69%
78%MammogramWI 80%
80%Taking BP medsWI 78%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Shields 8.1% · Wisconsin 1 in 13 (8%)
Mind & connection

How Shields adults are doing

About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.

3 in 10Shields adults feel lonely
29.6% · WI 30.6% · About the same as WI
1 in 5Shields adults lack social or emotional support
20.3% · WI 20.2% · About the same as WI
1 in 4Shields adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.8% · WI 23.2% · About the same as WI
1 in 6Shields adults are in frequent mental distress
15.6% · WI 15.5% · About the same as WI
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Shields 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
Shields adults worry about having enough food
11.4% · WI 12.1%
About the same as WI
1 in 11
Shields adults worry about keeping their housing
9% · WI 9.7%
About the same as WI
1 in 20
Shields adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5% · WI 5.5%
About the same as WI
1 in 16
Shields adults lack reliable transportation
6.2% · WI 6.7%
About the same as WI

11.4% of Shields adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.

Around town

Shields and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Lowell: 42.5%Emmet: 42%Milford: 41.4%Portland: 41.8%Watertown: 42.4%Beaver Dam: 41.9%Elba: 35%Calamus: 38.4%Clyman: 42.9%Oak Grove: 43.2%Watertown: 42.4%Lebanon: 41.8%Hustisford: 42.5%Farmington: 41.5%Aztalan: 41.1%Waterloo: 41.4%Lake Mills: 39.5%Lake Mills: 40.3%York: 37.2%Waterloo: 42.2%Ixonia: 40%Shields: 42%ShieldsLowellEmmetMilfordPortlandWatertownWatertown Memorial Hospital · Watertown · 6.3 mi · 3★ MedicareHColumbus Community Hospital · Columbus · 12.7 mi · 4★ MedicareHMarshfield Medical Center - Beaver Dam (MMC-BD) · Beaver Dam · 14.8 mi · 2★ MedicareHRock River Community Clinic - Watertown · Watertown · 6.3 mi+Noble Community Clinics - Beaver Dam · Beaver Dam · 15.3 mi+
Healthier than WINear WILess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#14 of 22 towns on this map, healthiest first
Milford41.4%
Portland41.8%
Shields42%
Emmet42%
Watertown42.4%
Lowell42.5%
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
LowellB−42.5%11.3%14.6%ZIP codes
PortlandB−41.8%11.1%14.3%ZIP codes
MilfordB41.4%10.5%14.2%ZIP codes
EmmetC+42%12%14.6%ZIP 53098
WatertownC+42.4%11.1%15.3%ZIP 53094

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

33%

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

Walking or climbing stairs15.6%
Thinking or memory13.4%
Hearing8.3%
Errands alone8.4%
Vision4.7%
Dressing or bathing3.8%
Wisconsin

Questions about health in Shields

Why doesn’t Shields have a Health Grade?

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

What hospital is closest to Shields?

Watertown Memorial Hospital in Watertown, 6.3 miles in a straight line from Shields’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

Where can I get low-cost care near Shields?

1 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Rock River Community Clinic - Watertown in Watertown, 6.3 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Shields.

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.