Health · Athens

Athens, WI health

Athens differs from Wisconsin on 17 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (9.5% vs 6.5%) and more adults with heart disease (9.1% vs 6.6%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Athens

C-Health Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

C⁻

Athens’s Health Grade: C−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Athens is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns, and than 45% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthC-Physical distressBMental distressCObesityCDiabetesC-SmokingDExercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 22%

Less healthyHealthier

Wisconsin towns we grade (877)Healthier than 5%

Towns with similar incomes, $40K–$66K (6,212)Healthier than 45%

Better than its income would suggest. Athens is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C−.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Athens could be anywhere from D to B−.

How the Health Grade works

Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Wisconsin ranking.
Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Athens with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Athens uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.

Report card

How Athens compares with Wisconsin

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Athens adults…

39 of every 100 Athens adults have high blood pressure

Wisconsin: 33 in 100 · worse · margin 35.6–42.5%

Bars show Athens; the black tick is Wisconsin. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Athens, betterAthens, worseToo close to callWisconsin

Get no exerciseshare of adults 35.2% Athens
WI 26.6%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 31% Athens
WI 32.6%

Binge drinkshare of adults 17.6% Athens
WI 19%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 18.5% Athens
WI 13.6%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Athens adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wisconsin.

Yearly checkup

WI 78%

Dentist visit

WI 67%

Cholesterol check

WI 86%

Colon screening

WI 69%

Mammogram

WI 80%

Taking BP meds

WI 78%

1 in 9

working-age adults has no health insurance

Athens 10.6% · Wisconsin 1 in 13 (8%)

Mind & connection

How Athens adults are doing

1 in 3Athens adults feel lonely

29.9% · Wisconsin 30.6% · too close to call

1 in 4Athens adults have been diagnosed with depression

25% · Wisconsin 23.2% · too close to call

1 in 5Athens adults lack social or emotional support

21.6% · Wisconsin 20.2% · too close to call

1 in 6Athens adults are in frequent mental distress

16.5% · Wisconsin 15.5% · too close to call

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6

Athens adults worry about having enough food

15.7% · WI 12.1% · worse

1 in 9

Athens adults worry about keeping their housing

11.3% · WI 9.7% · about the same

1 in 15

Athens adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

6.5% · WI 5.5% · about the same

1 in 12

Athens adults lack reliable transportation

8.1% · WI 6.7% · worse

17.5% of Athens adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.

Disability

Living with a disability

37.5%

of Athens adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs18.3%

Thinking or memory15.7%

Hearing9.8%

Errands alone10.6%

Vision6.1%

Dressing or bathing5%

Black tick: Wisconsin. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Athens

Athens and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health.

37.1%45.1%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#8 of 12towns on this map, healthiest first

Rietbrock38.6%

Johnson39.1%

Halsey39.1%

Athens39.5%

Bern39.9%

Care nearby

Aspirus Medford Hospital & ClinicsMedford · 15.1 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Aspirus Wausau HospitalWausau · 20.5 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Aspirus Merrill HospitalMerrill · 21.6 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Marshfield Medical CenterMarshfield · 25.3 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Family Health Center - Medford Dental CenterMedford · 15.6 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Bridge Community Health Clinic - Behavioral Health MerrillMerrill · 21.5 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

✓ Primary careAthens is not a shortage area

✓ Dental careAthens is not a shortage area

✓ Mental healthAthens is not a shortage area

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas. Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Athens. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Athens

Measure	Athens	Margin	Wisconsin
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	39%	35.6–42.5%	33.3%	worse
High cholesterol	39%	35.7–42.5%	34.4%	worse
Obesity	39.5%	34.6–44.6%	37.7%	about the same
Arthritis	31.1%	28.2–34.1%	26.6%	worse
Depression	25%	22–28.3%	23.2%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	12.3%	9.8–14.9%	9.9%	about the same
Asthma	10.8%	9.6–12.2%	10.8%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	9.8%	8.8–10.9%	8.6%	worse
Diabetes	13.3%	11.6–15.3%	11.4%	worse
COPD	9.5%	7.9–11%	6.5%	worse
Heart disease	9.1%	8–10.4%	6.6%	worse
Stroke	4.6%	4–5.2%	3.4%	worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	18.5%	15.4–21.9%	13.6%	worse
Binge drink	17.6%	15.1–20.3%	19%	about the same
Get no exercise	35.2%	30.6–40.1%	26.6%	worse
Sleep under 7 hours	31%	26.8–35.2%	32.6%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	76.9%	73.9–79.8%	77.6%	about the same
Dentist visit	62.7%	59.2–65.6%	67.1%	worse
Cholesterol check	84.3%	82–86.3%	85.9%	about the same
Colon screening	64.9%	60.3–69%	69.4%	worse
Mammogram	74.8%	68.2–80.5%	80.3%	about the same
Taking BP meds	79%	76.3–81.4%	77.8%	about the same
No health insurance	10.6%	8.3–13.3%	8%	worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	29.9%	25.9–33.9%	30.6%	about the same
Lack emotional support	21.6%	18.5–24.8%	20.2%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	16.5%	14.6–18.6%	15.5%	about the same
Fair or poor health	24.1%	20.5–28.1%	17.8%	worse
Frequent physical distress	16.3%	14.3–18.6%	12.9%	worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	15.7%	12.7–18.8%	12.1%	worse
Housing insecurity	11.3%	9.4–13.3%	9.7%	about the same
Utility shut-off threat	6.5%	5.5–7.5%	5.5%	about the same
No reliable transportation	8.1%	6.8–9.3%	6.7%	worse
Receive SNAP	17.5%	14.4–20.7%	12.5%
Disability
Any disability	37.5%	33.2–42.1%	29.4%
Walking or climbing stairs	18.3%	15.6–21.2%	13.4%
Thinking or memory	15.7%	13.6–18.2%	12.8%
Hearing	9.8%	8.6–11%	6.9%
Vision	6.1%	5.2–7.1%	4.5%
Dressing or bathing	5%	4.2–5.8%	3.5%
Errands alone	10.6%	9–12.3%	7.9%

About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Athens door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Wisconsin figure falls inside it, we don't call Athens better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Athens directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Wisconsin figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.