Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0Within Wisconsin, Wausau is healthier than 27% of graded towns
Wausau trails Wisconsin on 3 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wausau. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wausau
Wausau is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Wausau is healthier than 51%. Against the 9,809 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 71%. Health Grade ↓
Wausau has a top-rated hospital
Aspirus Wausau Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Wausau’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Wausau’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wausau is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, #259 of 357 in Wisconsin. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 71% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 22%).
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). Wausau’s median household income is $64,389; among the 9,809 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 71%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Wausau
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Wausau, 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 Wausau; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Wausau adults…
On every condition, Wausau is about the same as Wisconsin. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
6.6 miles of trails across 43 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Wausau adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
How Wausau adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
3 in 10 Wausau 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.
15.5% of Wausau adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Wausau and the towns around it
Wausau’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau | B− | 36.8% | 11.2% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| Stettin | B | 36.3% | 10.9% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Wausau | B− | 37.2% | 11.2% | 14.9% | ZIP 54403 |
| Maine | A− | 35.6% | 10.3% | 12.5% | CDC place |
| Rib Mountain | A− | 34.3% | 10.6% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Weston | — | — | — | — | |
| Schofield | B | 36.4% | 10.6% | 14.2% | CDC place |
| Texas | B− | 37.9% | 11.4% | 15.1% | ZIP codes |
Weston: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wausau adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wausau
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wausau is better than Wisconsin on 0 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Wausau’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wausau | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.8%17.6–22.1 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12.2–15.2 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%14.2–17.6 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.8%32.2–41.6 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.2%9.8–12.6 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34%31–37.1 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%32.8–39.2 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.2%23.8–28.7 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.7 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.7–9.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.3–7.7 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.3–3.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.3–13.9 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%13.6–17.5 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.1%26.6–33.7 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%15.8–21.2 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.1%27–35.3 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.7%7.5–10 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.1%73–79.2 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65%61.9–67.9 | 67.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.9%82.1–85.6 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.2%73.5–78.7 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.1%62.8–71 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77%70.6–82.2 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.5%21.6–27.7 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%25.8–33.1 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%18.2–23.7 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.3%12.5–16.4 | 12.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.6%9.2–12.1 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.1%5.3–7 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.7%6.8–8.6 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.5%13.6–17.5 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.7%28.4–35.1 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14%12.4–15.7 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.9%12.5–15.5 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.8–8.4 | 6.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.6–5.5 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%8–9.8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Wausau
Is Wausau a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wausau is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #259 of 357 in Wisconsin. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 71%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wausau?
CDC estimates 36.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.2% and 41.6%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wausau?
Aspirus Wausau Hospital in Wausau, 1.2 miles in a straight line from Wausau’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wausau have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–10%), 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 Wausau more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Wausau.
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.