Photo: User:Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 2.5On CDC estimates, Waunakee is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns
Waunakee beats Wisconsin on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waunakee. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waunakee
COPD and diabetes are less common in Waunakee
Waunakee runs below Wisconsin on six chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.5% vs 6.5%), diabetes (8.3% vs 11.4%) and stroke (2.5% vs 3.4%). Conditions ↓
Waunakee is an active town
Only 19.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.6% across Wisconsin. Habits ↓
Fewer Waunakee adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Wisconsin. 1 in 14 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 Waunakee’s likely range.
What’s behind Waunakee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waunakee is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns, #14 of 357 in Wisconsin. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 95% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 71%.
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). Waunakee’s median household income is $125,220; among the 5,036 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($94K–$157K), it’s healthier than 84%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Waunakee adults…
Waunakee runs below WI on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
3.5 miles of trails across 29 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.8% of Waunakee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Care in and near Waunakee
No hospital or community health center in Waunakee 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 Waunakee; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Waunakee adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Waunakee adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Waunakee does better than Wisconsin.
3 in 10 Waunakee 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.
Waunakee and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Waunakee adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waunakee
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waunakee is better than Wisconsin on 23 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Waunakee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waunakee | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.4%10.5–14.3 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.6%9.2–12.1 | 12.9% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12–15.4 | 15.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.1%28.9–37.3 | 37.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.3%7.1–9.5 | 11.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.1%24.3–29.9 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.1%28.1–34.1 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 21.9%19.5–24.2 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.7–9.3 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.4–5.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.5%3.8–5.2 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.6%5.3–8.1 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.9%8.2–12 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.2%16.3–22.3 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.7%17.9–23.5 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.3%25–31.7 | 32.6% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.2%4.3–6.3 | 8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.6%72.5–78.3 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.6%71.1–76 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.6%87–90 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.9%72.7–78.8 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.4%67.8–74.8 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.9%75.7–85.3 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.1%21.3–27 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.4%24.9–31.8 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.2%14.8–19.7 | 20.2% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.1%5.7–8.5 | 12.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.8%5.6–8.1 | 9.7% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 5.5% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.5%3.9–5.3 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.8%5.5–8.4 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23%20.1–26 | 29.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.5%8.1–11.1 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10%8.7–11.5 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.6–3.4 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%5–6.6 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.2–2.8 | 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 Waunakee
Is Waunakee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waunakee is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns: A for health, #14 of 357 in Wisconsin. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 84%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waunakee?
CDC estimates 33.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.9% and 37.3%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waunakee?
University of WI Hospitals & Clinics Authority in Madison, 7.1 miles in a straight line from Waunakee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waunakee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–6.3%), 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 Waunakee more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Waunakee.
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.