Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Waukesha is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Waukesha differs from Wisconsin on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waukesha. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waukesha
Binge drinking is the habit Waukesha doesn’t win on
21.9% of adults binge drink, vs 19% across Wisconsin, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Waukesha has a top-rated hospital
Waukesha Memorial Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Waukesha
Waukesha runs below Wisconsin on COPD (5.2% vs 6.5%), stroke (2.8% vs 3.4%) and heart disease (5.6% vs 6.6%). Conditions ↓
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 Waukesha’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Waukesha’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waukesha is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #97 of 357 in Wisconsin. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 82% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 55%.
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). Waukesha’s median household income is $83,837; among the 10,468 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$105K), it’s healthier than 85%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
9.4 miles of trails across 40 parks and preserves
Care in and near Waukesha
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Waukesha, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Waukesha; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Waukesha adults…
Waukesha runs below WI on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Waukesha adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Waukesha adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
1 in 3 Waukesha 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.
10.6% of Waukesha adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Waukesha and the towns around it
Waukesha’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waukesha | A− | 35.6% | 10.1% | 12% | CDC place |
| Waukesha | — | — | — | — | |
| Pewaukee | A | 33% | 10.4% | 9.7% | CDC place |
| Brookfield | A | 32.4% | 10.4% | 9.7% | ZIP codes |
Waukesha: no CDC estimate of its own. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Waukesha adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waukesha
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waukesha is better than Wisconsin on 9 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Waukesha’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waukesha | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.6%14–17.5 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.8–13.4 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.4–16.6 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.6%31.4–40 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.1%9–11.4 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.2%28.6–34 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.7%29.9–35.7 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.8%21.7–26 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.6–12 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.8%7.1–8.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.2%4.7–5.8 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.6–3 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.6%6.4–9.4 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12%10.5–13.6 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.1%20.4–26.2 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 21.9%19.1–25.2 | 19% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33%29.6–37.6 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8%6.9–9.2 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.1%74.2–80.1 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.7%67.4–72.8 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.5%84–87.1 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75%72.4–77.6 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.7%67.6–74.7 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.4%78.4–87.2 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.8%19.2–24.6 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31%27.5–34.6 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.8%15.5–20.3 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11%9.5–12.6 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.4%8.2–10.7 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.5–6 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.6–7.1 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.6%9.3–12 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.7%24.9–30.7 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.4%10.2–12.8 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.5%11.2–13.9 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.4–6.6 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.2%6.5–7.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.8–3.3 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Waukesha
Is Waukesha a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waukesha is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #97 of 357 in Wisconsin. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 85%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waukesha?
CDC estimates 35.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.4% and 40%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waukesha?
Waukesha Memorial Hospital in Waukesha, 0.2 miles in a straight line from Waukesha’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waukesha have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.9–9.2%), 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 Waukesha more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Waukesha.
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.