Photo: Patriarca12 · CC BY 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, West Milwaukee is healthier than 77%
West Milwaukee differs from Wisconsin on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for West Milwaukee. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Milwaukee
Making ends meet is harder in West Milwaukee
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19.7%), vs 12.1% across Wisconsin. Housing insecurity (15.6% vs 9.7%) and utility shut-off threats (8.3% vs 5.5%) are higher too. 19.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More West Milwaukee adults lack emotional support
1 in 4 adults lack social or emotional support (26.2%), vs 20.2% across Wisconsin. Loneliness is above the state too: 35.5%, vs 30.6% across Wisconsin. Mind & connection ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in West Milwaukee has no health insurance
13.6% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8% across Wisconsin. Checkups ↓
West Milwaukee is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, West Milwaukee is healthier than 37%. Against the 5,454 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$61K), it’s healthier than 77%. Health Grade ↓
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 West Milwaukee’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind West Milwaukee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Milwaukee is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns, #309 of 357 in Wisconsin. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 54% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 27%).
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). West Milwaukee’s median household income is $49,128; among the 5,454 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$61K), it’s healthier than 77%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Wisconsin towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state West Milwaukee is healthier than 14% of graded towns, against 37% nationally.
Where West Milwaukee compares well: arthritis, 23.1% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.8% (U.S. 7.9%); coronary heart disease, 5.7% (U.S. 6.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.2% of West Milwaukee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
How West Milwaukee adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, West Milwaukee runs above Wisconsin.
1 in 3 West Milwaukee 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of West Milwaukee adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
Out of every 100 West Milwaukee adults…
West Milwaukee runs below WI on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near West Milwaukee
No hospital or community health center in West Milwaukee 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 West Milwaukee; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin figure marked.
1 mile of trails across 1 park or preserve
West Milwaukee and the towns around it
West Milwaukee’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Milwaukee | C+ | 39% | 12.5% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| Milwaukee | D | 41.8% | 14.7% | 17.3% | CDC place |
| West Allis | B | 35.8% | 11.1% | 13.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of West Milwaukee adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Milwaukee
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Milwaukee is better than Wisconsin on 3 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside West Milwaukee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Milwaukee | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.6%20.1–25.2 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.4–15.5 | 12.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.5–19.2 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39%35.5–42.4 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%11.2–13.9 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33%30.6–35.3 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.6%30.3–34.8 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.1%21.3–25 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.3%10.2–12.5 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.3–6.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5–6.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.2%5.3–7.1 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.6 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.4%10.4–14.5 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%13.1–17.7 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.4%25.3–31.6 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.4%16.1–20.7 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.3%34.3–40.3 | 32.6% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.6%11.4–16 | 8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.1%73.4–78.6 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.3%57.7–62.9 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.1%82–85.9 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.5%71.9–76.9 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.5%62.3–68.6 | 69.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81%76.8–84.6 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%21.1–25.7 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.5%32.6–38.3 | 30.6% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.2%23.6–28.9 | 20.2% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.7%17–22.5 | 12.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.6%13.6–17.7 | 9.7% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.3%7.2–9.5 | 5.5% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10%8.8–11.4 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.2%16.3–22 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.3%27.4–33.4 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.9%12.2–15.6 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15%13.3–17 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.9–6.2 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5.1–6.4 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8.1–10.4 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.9–5 | 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 West Milwaukee
Is West Milwaukee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Milwaukee is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #309 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 West Milwaukee?
CDC estimates 39% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.5% and 42.4%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Milwaukee?
Aurora St. Lukes Medical Center in Milwaukee, 1.9 miles in a straight line from West Milwaukee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in West Milwaukee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.4–16%), 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 West Milwaukee more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in West Milwaukee.
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.