Dr. Fisk Holbrook Day House · Photo: Freekee at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Wauwatosa is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Wauwatosa beats Wisconsin on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wauwatosa. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa keeps up with checkups
It beats Wisconsin on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (74.9% vs 67.1%) and cholesterol checks (88.4% vs 85.9%). Checkups ↓
Wauwatosa is an active town
Only 17.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.6% across Wisconsin. The town has 27 miles of trails across 22 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa runs below Wisconsin on five chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.5% vs 6.5%), heart disease (5% vs 6.6%) and stroke (2.6% vs 3.4%). 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 Wauwatosa’s likely range.
What’s behind Wauwatosa’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wauwatosa is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #11 of 357 in Wisconsin. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 95% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 78%.
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). Wauwatosa’s median household income is $101,138; among the 8,417 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$126K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Wauwatosa adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
27 miles of trails across 22 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Wauwatosa adults…
Wauwatosa runs below WI on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Wauwatosa
2 hospitals in Wauwatosa, 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 Wauwatosa; ≈ 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).
How Wauwatosa adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
3 in 10 Wauwatosa 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.
7.7% of Wauwatosa adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Wauwatosa and the towns around it
Wauwatosa has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wauwatosa | A | 31.4% | 8.8% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| Milwaukee | D | 41.8% | 14.7% | 17.3% | CDC place |
| Brookfield | A | 30.9% | 10.2% | 8.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wauwatosa adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wauwatosa
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wauwatosa is better than Wisconsin on 21 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Wauwatosa’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wauwatosa | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.4%12.1–14.8 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.2%9.2–11.2 | 12.9% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.8–15.5 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.4%28.5–34.4 | 37.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.8%7.9–9.7 | 11.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.6%27.5–31.6 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.3%30.1–34.6 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.6%21.9–25.3 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.8–11.9 | 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 | 5%4.5–5.5 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.5%4–5.1 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.6%5.5–7.7 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.1%8–10.3 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.8%16–19.8 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.6%17.3–22 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.1%27.5–32.8 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.3%4.6–6.2 | 8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%76.2–80.9 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.9%72.8–76.9 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.4%87–89.7 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.6%74.1–78.7 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74%71.2–76.6 | 69.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 84.3%80.7–87.4 | 80.3% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%21.7–26.2 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.7%28.1–33.2 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19%17–21 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.9%6.9–8.9 | 12.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.9%6–7.8 | 9.7% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.9%3.4–4.5 | 5.5% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5%4.4–5.6 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.7%6.8–8.8 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.8%20.8–24.9 | 29.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.8%8.8–10.9 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.1%9.1–11.2 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.1%2.9–3.5 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.6–7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–2.8 | 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 Wauwatosa
Is Wauwatosa a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wauwatosa is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #11 of 357 in Wisconsin. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wauwatosa?
CDC estimates 31.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.5% and 34.4%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wauwatosa?
Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Milwaukee, 1.7 miles in a straight line from Wauwatosa’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wauwatosa have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.6–6.2%), 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 Wauwatosa 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 Wauwatosa.
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.