Wood County Courthouse · Photo: TheCatalyst31 · CC0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Wisconsin Rapids is healthier than 55%
Wisconsin Rapids trails Wisconsin State on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wisconsin Rapids. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wisconsin Rapids
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Wisconsin Rapids
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.5%), vs 6.5% across Wisconsin State. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.2%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin State. Stroke is also above the state: 4.2%, vs 3.4% across Wisconsin State. In all, Wisconsin Rapids runs above Wisconsin State on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Wisconsin Rapids
61.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67.1% across Wisconsin State. Among those 65 and older, 13.2% have lost all their teeth (Wisconsin State 9.9%). Checkups ↓
More Wisconsin Rapids adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (30.8%), vs 26.6% across Wisconsin State. There are 12 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Wisconsin Rapids is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Wisconsin Rapids is healthier than 30%. Against the 7,489 towns with similar household incomes ($41K–$69K), it’s healthier than 55%. 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 State figure falls outside Wisconsin Rapids’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Wisconsin Rapids’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wisconsin Rapids is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #327 of 357 in Wisconsin State. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 56% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 16%).
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). Wisconsin Rapids’ median household income is $55,253; among the 7,489 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$69K), it’s healthier than 55%, about where its income would put it.
Most Wisconsin State towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Wisconsin Rapids is healthier than 8% of graded towns, against 30% nationally.
Out of every 100 Wisconsin Rapids adults…
Wisconsin Rapids runs above WI on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Wisconsin Rapids adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin State.
Everyday habits, side by side with Wisconsin State
Share of adults, with the Wisconsin State figure marked.
12 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
Care in and near Wisconsin Rapids
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Wisconsin Rapids, 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 Wisconsin Rapids; ≈ 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 Wisconsin Rapids adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin State on each measure.
3 in 10 Wisconsin Rapids 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.
16.2% of Wisconsin Rapids adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin State.
Wisconsin Rapids and the towns around it
Wisconsin Rapids’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Rapids | C | 40.9% | 13.2% | 16.7% | CDC place |
| Grand Rapids | B− | 39.3% | 12.6% | 14.7% | ZIP 54494 |
| Biron | — | — | — | — | |
| Seneca | C− | 43.3% | 13.9% | 19.3% | ZIP codes |
| Port Edwards | C− | 42.3% | 15.4% | 18.5% | CDC place |
| Rudolph | C− | 43.3% | 14.1% | 19.2% | ZIP codes |
| Sigel | D | 43.5% | 14% | 19.5% | ZIP codes |
Biron: 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 Wisconsin Rapids adults live with a disability (Wisconsin State 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wisconsin Rapids
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wisconsin Rapids is better than Wisconsin State on 0 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Wisconsin State figure falls inside Wisconsin Rapids’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wisconsin Rapids | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.8%18.3–23.3 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.3–16.7 | 12.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.9–18.6 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.9%35.7–46 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.2%11.5–14.8 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.5%33–39.7 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.4%31.9–38.7 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.6%27.6–33.3 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%10.1–12.5 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.4–9.1 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.5%7.5–9.5 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.2%10.8–15.9 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7%14.5–18.8 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.8%26.7–34.8 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.8%16–21.6 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32%27.4–36.6 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.2%7.8–10.5 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.4%74.3–80.2 | 77.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.6%58.2–64.7 | 67.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85%83.2–86.6 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76.7–81.5 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.8%63.3–71.8 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.7%72.1–84.1 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.5%20.5–26.5 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%25.5–33.3 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%18–23.8 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.5%12.4–16.7 | 12.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.5%9–12.1 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.4%5.5–7.3 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.8–8.8 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.2%14.1–18.5 | 12.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.5%30.7–38.2 | 29.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.7%14.7–18.7 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%13.2–16.5 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.9%7.9–9.9 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.7–10.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4–4.9 | 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 State figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Wisconsin Rapids
Is Wisconsin Rapids a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wisconsin Rapids is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #327 of 357 in Wisconsin State. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wisconsin Rapids?
CDC estimates 40.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.7% and 46%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin State and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wisconsin Rapids?
Aspirus Riverview Hospital & Clinics in Wisconsin Rapids, 0.8 miles in a straight line from Wisconsin Rapids’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wisconsin Rapids have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–10.5%), against 8% across Wisconsin State.
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 Wisconsin Rapids 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 Wisconsin Rapids.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Wisconsin State 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.