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Albin Johnson Log HouseAlbin Johnson Log House · Photo: Jeff the quiet · CC0
–Not graded
Health in Spirit · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Spirit residents get care

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

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 54459, 54513, 54470. How CDC estimates town health

Fair or poor health
20.8%
Worse than WI (17.8%)
Obesity
42.3%
About the same as WI (37.7%)
No exercise
31.1%
About the same as WI (26.6%)
Uninsured
7.5%
About the same as WI (8%)
Feel lonely
28.4%
About the same as WI (30.6%)
Nearest ER
18.1 mi
Aspirus Tomahawk Hospital
What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Spirit

9.2%have COPD · WI 6.5%82.9%treat their high blood pressure · WI 77.8%16.6%smoke · WI 13.6%

COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Spirit

1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.2%), vs 6.5% across Wisconsin. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.1%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. Stroke is also above the state: 4.5%, vs 3.4% across Wisconsin. In all, Spirit runs above Wisconsin on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Wisconsin 19%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

More high blood pressure in Spirit, and more people treating it

39.1% of adults have high blood pressure (Wisconsin 33.3%), but 82.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓

Smoking is more common in Spirit

1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.6%), vs 13.6% across Wisconsin. Habits ↓

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 Spirit’s likely range; Spirit’s figures come from ZIP codes 54459, 54513, 54470, which may reach past town lines.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Spirit adults…

Spirit runs above WI on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

9 of every 100 Spirit adults have COPD
Wisconsin: 7 in 100 · worse · likely 8–10.6%
Better than WIWorseAbout the sameWisconsin
Why age matters here

Spirit is an older town: 28% 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 Spirit as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Spirit28%
Wisconsin19%
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

81%Yearly checkupWI 78%
64%Dentist visitWI 67%
88%Cholesterol checkWI 86%
70%Colon screeningWI 69%
77%MammogramWI 80%
83%Taking BP medsWI 78%
1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Spirit 7.5% · Wisconsin 1 in 13 (8%)
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin

Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.

Get no exercise 31.1%WI 26.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 34.8%WI 32.6%
Binge drink 16.8%WI 19%
Smoke cigarettes 16.6%WI 13.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Spirit, betterSpirit, worseAbout the sameWisconsin
Where Spirit gets moving

1.7 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

1Taylor County Forest1 acres
Parks & trails →
Getting care

Care in and near Spirit

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

HNearest ERAspirus Tomahawk HospitalTomahawk · 18.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careFamily Health Center of MarshfieldMedford · 23.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
18.1 mi
Aspirus Tomahawk Hospital
Tomahawk · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
23.3 mi
Family Health Center of Marshfield
5 sites · nearest in Medford
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
23.5 mi
Aspirus Medford Hospital & Clinics
Medford · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
25.9 mi
Primary Connection Healthcare
3 sites · nearest in Merrill
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
26.4 mi
Aspirus Merrill Hospital
Merrill · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
37.1 mi
Marshfield Medical Center - Minocqua
Minocqua · ★★★★★
ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Spirit itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Spirit itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Spirit 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 Spirit; ≈ 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).

Mind & connection

How Spirit adults are doing

About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.

3 in 10Spirit adults feel lonely
28.4% · WI 30.6% · About the same as WI
1 in 5Spirit adults lack social or emotional support
19.2% · WI 20.2% · About the same as WI
1 in 4Spirit adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.5% · WI 23.2% · About the same as WI
1 in 7Spirit 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 Spirit 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 8
Spirit adults worry about having enough food
12.1% · WI 12.1%
About the same as WI
1 in 12
Spirit adults worry about keeping their housing
8.6% · WI 9.7%
About the same as WI
1 in 19
Spirit adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.3% · WI 5.5%
About the same as WI
1 in 15
Spirit adults lack reliable transportation
6.5% · WI 6.7%
About the same as WI

13.6% of Spirit adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.

Around town

Spirit and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Knox: 41.8%Rib Lake: 44.3%Hill: 42.4%Tomahawk: 39.8%Prentice: 43.2%Hackett: 42.6%Somo: 38.5%Lynne: 38.5%Greenwood: 44.1%Corning: 42.4%Westboro: 45.2%Ogema: 42.7%Bradley: 40.8%Wilson: 40.4%Harding: 42.1%Spirit: 42.3%SpiritKnoxRib LakeHillTomahawkAspirus Tomahawk Hospital · Tomahawk · 18.1 miHAspirus Medford Hospital & Clinics · Medford · 23.5 miHAspirus Merrill Hospital · Merrill · 26.4 miHFamily Health Center - Medford Dental Center · Medford · 23.3 mi+Bridge Community Health Clinic - Behavioral Health Merrill · Merrill · 25.9 mi+
Healthier than WINear WILess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#8 of 16 towns on this map, healthiest first
Tomahawk39.8%
Knox41.8%
Spirit42.3%
Hill42.4%
Rib Lake44.3%
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
Knox————
Rib Lake————
Hill————
Tomahawk————

Knox, Rib Lake, Hill and Tomahawk: 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.

32.4%

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

Walking or climbing stairs17.3%
Thinking or memory13.2%
Hearing9.4%
Errands alone9.1%
Vision5.2%
Dressing or bathing4.5%
Wisconsin

Questions about health in Spirit

Why doesn’t Spirit have a Health Grade?

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

What hospital is closest to Spirit?

Aspirus Tomahawk Hospital in Tomahawk, 18.1 miles in a straight line from Spirit’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.

Neighbors talk health

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

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.