Wisconsin Concrete Park · Photo: Sculpture created by Fred Smith. Copyright held by Friends of Fred Smith, Inc. · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Worcester is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns
Worcester differs from Wisconsin on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 54555. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Worcester
Heart disease, COPD and stroke run high in Worcester
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.2%), vs 6.6% across Wisconsin. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (9%), vs 6.5% across Wisconsin. Stroke is also above the state: 4.5%, vs 3.4% across Wisconsin. In all, Worcester runs above Wisconsin on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Wisconsin 19%), and heart disease, COPD and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Worcester, and more people treating it
39.1% of adults have high blood pressure (Wisconsin 33.3%), but 83% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Worcester’s likely range; Worcester’s figures come from ZIP code 54555, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Worcester’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Worcester is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 83% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Worcester’s median household income is $68,438; among the 10,379 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$86K), it’s healthier than 37%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Worcester compares well: checkup in the past year, 80.8% (U.S. 77.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 83% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Worcester adults…
Worcester runs above WI on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Worcester is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Wisconsin. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Worcester as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Worcester adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.
Care in and near Worcester
No hospital or community health center in Worcester 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 Worcester; ≈ 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.
56 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Worcester adults are doing
About the same as Wisconsin on each measure.
3 in 10 Worcester 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.
13.5% of Worcester adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.
Worcester 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.
Health next door
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Worcester adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Worcester
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Worcester is better than Wisconsin on 3 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Wisconsin figure falls inside Worcester’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Worcester | WI | U.S. | vs WI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.6%17.9–23.4 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.6–17.4 | 12.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13–16.7 | 15.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.1%35.6–48.8 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.4–16.2 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.1%35.2–43.3 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.1%35.1–43.3 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33.6%30.3–37.1 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.7–12.3 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.2%10.2–12.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.2%8.2–10.2 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9%7.9–10.2 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4.1–5 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.4%10.1–15 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.1%13.8–18.7 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.6%26.2–35.2 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.7%14–19.9 | 19% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.1%29–41.1 | 32.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%6.1–8.7 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.8%77.7–83.7 | 77.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.5%61–68 | 67.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.3%86.7–89.7 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83%80.3–85.4 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.2%64.3–73.6 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.5%67.9–82 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.3%19.2–25.6 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.8%23.5–32.2 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.8%15.9–21.6 | 20.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.9%10–13.9 | 12.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.6%7.3–10 | 9.7% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 5.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.5%11.4–15.5 | 12.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32%28.1–36.2 | 29.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.2%14.9–19.5 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.9%11.3–14.6 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.4–10.6 | 6.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%8–10.2 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4–5 | 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 Worcester
Is Worcester a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Worcester is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 37%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Worcester?
CDC estimates 42.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.6% and 48.8%, against 37.7% across Wisconsin and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Worcester?
Flambeau Hospital in Park Falls, 14.7 miles in a straight line from Worcester’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Worcester have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.7%), 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 Worcester 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 Worcester.
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.