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Masonic Temple BuildingMasonic Temple Building · Photo: Boscophotos · CC BY-SA 3.0
≈ B+Health Grade
Health in Viroqua · CDC PLACES 2025

Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Viroqua is healthier than 84%

Viroqua differs from Wisconsin on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 3 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Viroqua. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Viroqua

Viroqua is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Viroqua is healthier than 65%. Against the 10,261 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$84K), it’s healthier than 84%. Health Grade ↓

Cancer and heart disease run high in Viroqua

1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.2%), vs 8.6% across Wisconsin. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (8%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. In all, Viroqua runs above Wisconsin on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Wisconsin 19%), and cancer and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

Fewer Viroqua adults struggle to make ends meet

Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Wisconsin. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓

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 Viroqua’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.

Health Grade

What’s behind Viroqua’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Viroqua is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, #180 of 357 in Wisconsin. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 88% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 42%).

B+Self-rated health17.4% · WI 17.8% · U.S. 19.4%
BPhysical distress13.4% · WI 12.9% · U.S. 13%
AMental distress14.2% · WI 15.5% · U.S. 15.9%
B−Obesity36.2% · WI 37.7% · U.S. 32.9%
BDiabetes11.7% · WI 11.4% · U.S. 12%
B+Smoking12.7% smoke · WI 13.6% · U.S. 11.8%
C+Exercise26.8% · WI 26.6% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 65%
Less healthyHealthier
Wisconsin towns we grade (357)Healthier than 50%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $51K–$84K (10,261)Healthier than 84%

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). Viroqua’s median household income is $67,438; among the 10,261 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$84K), it’s healthier than 84%, more than its income alone would suggest.

Most Wisconsin towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Viroqua is healthier than 50% of graded towns, against 65% nationally.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Viroqua could be anywhere from C to A. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Viroqua adults…

Viroqua runs above WI on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Viroqua adults have had cancer
Wisconsin: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 10–12.3%
Better than WIWorseAbout the sameWisconsin
Why age matters here

Viroqua is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Wisconsin. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Viroqua as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Viroqua27%
Wisconsin19%
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 11
Viroqua adults worry about having enough food
9.4% · WI 12.1%
Better than WI
1 in 13
Viroqua adults worry about keeping their housing
7.7% · WI 9.7%
Better than WI
1 in 22
Viroqua adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.5% · WI 5.5%
Better than WI
1 in 18
Viroqua adults lack reliable transportation
5.5% · WI 6.7%
Better than WI

10.2% of Viroqua adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.

Getting care

Care in and near Viroqua

1 hospital in Viroqua, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERVernon Memorial HospitalViroqua · 0.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careScenic Bluffs Health CenterCashton · 13.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.6 mi
Vernon Memorial Hospital
Viroqua · not rated
ERRural critical accessIn Viroqua
13.3 mi
Scenic Bluffs Health Center
6 sites · nearest in Cashton
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
24.2 mi
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
La Crosse · ★★★★★
ER
24.4 mi
Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Medical Center
La Crosse · ★★★★★
ER
26.8 mi
Mayo Clinic Health Systm Franciscan Healthcare Sparta
Sparta · not rated
ERRural critical access
44.5 mi
Noble Community Clinics - Mauston
Mauston · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Viroqua itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Viroqua itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Viroqua 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 Viroqua; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin

Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.

Get no exercise 26.8%WI 26.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 28.6%WI 32.6%
Binge drink 18.2%WI 19%
Smoke cigarettes 12.7%WI 13.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Viroqua, betterViroqua, worseAbout the sameWisconsin
Where Viroqua gets moving

3.6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%Yearly checkupWI 78%
69%Dentist visitWI 67%
88%Cholesterol checkWI 86%
72%Colon screeningWI 69%
79%MammogramWI 80%
81%Taking BP medsWI 78%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Viroqua 6.9% · Wisconsin 1 in 13 (8%)
Mind & connection

How Viroqua adults are doing

About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.

3 in 10Viroqua adults feel lonely
27.9% · WI 30.6% · About the same as WI
1 in 5Viroqua adults lack social or emotional support
18.2% · WI 20.2% · About the same as WI
1 in 5Viroqua adults have been diagnosed with depression
21.4% · WI 23.2% · About the same as WI
1 in 7Viroqua adults are in frequent mental distress
14.2% · WI 15.5% · About the same as WI
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Viroqua 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.

Around town

Viroqua and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Viroqua: 37.9%Jefferson: 37.8%Christiana: 38.7%Franklin: 37.8%Webster: 40.2%Westby: 37.7%Liberty: 38.5%Kickapoo: 40.2%Coon: 38.1%Harmony: 38.1%Sterling: 38.7%Viroqua: 36.2%ViroquaViroquaJeffersonVernon Memorial Hospital · Viroqua · 0.6 miH
Healthier than WINear WILess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#1 of 12 towns on this map, healthiest first
Viroqua36.2%
Jefferson37.8%
Viroqua37.9%
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
ViroquaB+36.2%11.7%12.7%CDC place
ViroquaB−37.9%12.1%14.7%ZIP codes
JeffersonB−37.8%12%14.5%ZIP codes

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

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

30.6%

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

Walking or climbing stairs15.2%
Thinking or memory11.8%
Hearing8.7%
Errands alone8%
Vision4.5%
Dressing or bathing3.6%
Wisconsin

Every CDC estimate for Viroqua

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Viroqua is better than Wisconsin on 6 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Viroqua’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…ViroquaWIU.S.vs WI
Overall health
Fair or poor health17.4%14.2–21.217.8%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)13.4%11.4–15.812.9%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)14.2%12.2–16.315.5%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity36.2%28.9–43.537.7%32.9%About the same
Diabetes11.7%10–13.711.4%12%About the same
High blood pressure36%31.8–40.333.3%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)37%32.9–41.334.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis31.5%28–3526.6%25.3%Worse
Asthma10.5%9.3–11.910.8%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer11.2%10–12.38.6%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease8%6.9–9.26.6%6.4%Worse
COPD7.3%5.8–96.5%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.9%3.3–4.63.4%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)9.1%7.5–119.9%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes12.7%10.1–15.913.6%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work26.8%21.7–32.726.6%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking18.2%15.1–21.419%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours28.6%23.7–33.832.6%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)6.9%5.2–8.98%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year79.7%76.3–82.877.6%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year69.1%66–7267.1%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years88.4%86.5–90.185.9%87.1%Better
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)81.3%78.5–83.877.8%76.5%Better
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)72%68–75.869.4%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)79.4%73.3–84.880.3%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression21.4%18.2–24.723.2%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely27.9%23.4–32.830.6%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support18.2%15.1–21.720.2%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food9.4%7.2–1212.1%15%Better
Worried about keeping housing7.7%6.2–9.69.7%12%Better
Threatened with a utility shut-off4.5%3.7–5.45.5%7.6%Better
Lack reliable transportation5.5%4.6–6.66.7%7.9%Better
Received SNAP (food stamps)10.2%7.8–13.112.5%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability30.6%25.9–35.829.4%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs15.2%12.3–18.313.4%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering11.8%10–14.112.8%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty8.7%7.5–106.9%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty4.5%3.6–5.34.5%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone8%6.5–9.77.9%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.6%2.9–4.33.5%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 Viroqua

Is Viroqua a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Viroqua is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #180 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 Viroqua?

CDC estimates 36.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.9% and 43.5%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Viroqua?

Vernon Memorial Hospital in Viroqua, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Viroqua’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Viroqua have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–8.9%), 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 Viroqua 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 Viroqua.

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. 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.