Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Three Lakes is healthier than 79%
Three Lakes differs from Wisconsin on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 54562, 54521. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Three Lakes
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Three Lakes
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.6%), vs 8.6% across Wisconsin. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. Arthritis is also above the state: 33.6%, vs 26.6% across Wisconsin. In all, Three Lakes runs above Wisconsin on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 39% of residents are 65 or older (Wisconsin 19%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Three Lakes is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Three Lakes is healthier than 63%. Against the 10,530 towns with similar household incomes ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 79%. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Three Lakes, and more people treating it
40.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Wisconsin 33.3%), but 82.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
Three Lakes keeps up with checkups
It beats Wisconsin on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (81.9% vs 77.6%) and dentist visits (70.6% vs 67.1%). Checkups ↓
Three Lakes is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its B tops all three graded neighbors. The closest is Washington (B−). Around town ↓
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 Three Lakes’ likely range; Three Lakes’ figures come from ZIP codes 54562, 54521, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Three Lakes’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Three Lakes is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 94% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 25%).
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). Three Lakes’ median household income is $70,250; among the 10,530 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 79%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Three Lakes adults…
Three Lakes runs above WI on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Three Lakes is an older town: 39% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Wisconsin. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Three Lakes as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Three Lakes adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
Three Lakes and the towns around it
Three Lakes has the best Health Grade of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three Lakes | B | 34.3% | 13.8% | 12.7% | ZIP codes |
| Sugar Camp | B− | 36.6% | 13.1% | 14.7% | ZIP codes |
| Hiles | — | — | — | — | |
| Washington · Lincoln | B− | 37.4% | 13.1% | 13.9% | ZIP 54521 |
| Piehl | — | — | — | — | |
| Stella | — | — | — | — |
Hiles, Piehl and Stella: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Three Lakes
No hospital or community health center in Three Lakes 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 Three Lakes; ≈ 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.
9.6 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
How Three Lakes adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Three Lakes does better than Wisconsin.
3 in 10 Three Lakes 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.
8.6% of Three Lakes adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Three Lakes adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Three Lakes
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Three Lakes is better than Wisconsin on 10 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Three Lakes’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Three Lakes | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.2%14.8–19.9 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.5–15.9 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.7–14.9 | 15.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.3%29.1–39.8 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.8%12–15.7 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.5%36.7–44.3 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.4%36.6–44.3 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33.6%30.3–36.9 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.5 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.6%11.5–13.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.9–10 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.6%6.4–8.7 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.9%7.2–10.7 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.7%10.7–15 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.7%21.8–29.9 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%13.7–19.1 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.4%26–34.9 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.7%4.7–7 | 8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.9%79–84.4 | 77.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.6%67.7–73.5 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.7%89.4–91.9 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.6%79.9–85.1 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.4%69.4–77.1 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.1%75.6–85.7 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.2%19.2–25.5 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.1%25.1–33.2 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.7%15–20.6 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.1%6.6–9.9 | 12.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.5%5.4–7.8 | 9.7% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 5.5% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.7%4–5.4 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.6%7–10.5 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.1%27.4–35.1 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.7%13.5–18 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.6%9.3–12 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%8.1–10.3 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.1–4 | 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 Three Lakes
Is Three Lakes a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Three Lakes is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Three Lakes?
CDC estimates 34.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.1% and 39.8%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Three Lakes?
Aspirus Eagle River Hospital in Eagle River, 9.9 miles in a straight line from Three Lakes’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Three Lakes have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.7–7%), 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 Three Lakes 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 Three Lakes.
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.