Health · River Falls

River Falls, WI health

River Falls differs from Wisconsin on 17 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults with diabetes (7.5% vs 11.4%) and fewer adults with heart disease (4.4% vs 6.6%). Where it trails the state: more binge drinkers (22.2% vs 19%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for River Falls
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

River Falls’s Health Grade: A−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, River Falls is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns and 87% of Wisconsin towns.

ASelf-rated healthAPhysical distressCMental distressB+ObesityA+DiabetesA-SmokingB+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 80%
Less healthyHealthier
Wisconsin towns we grade (877)Healthier than 87%
Towns with similar incomes, $63K–$105K (9,596)Healthier than 88%

About what its income would suggest. River Falls does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, River Falls could be anywhere from B to A.
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 River Falls 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. River Falls 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 River Falls 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 River Falls adults…

25 of every 100 River Falls adults have high blood pressure
Wisconsin: 33 in 100 · better · margin 22.7–27.5%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

River Falls, betterRiver Falls, worseToo close to callWisconsin
Get no exerciseshare of adults 22.9% River Falls
WI 26.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 33.5% River Falls
WI 32.6%
Binge drinkshare of adults 22.2% River Falls
WI 19%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.5% River Falls
WI 13.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

73%
Yearly checkup
WI 78%
67%
Dentist visit
WI 67%
79%
Cholesterol check
WI 86%
68%
Colon screening
WI 69%
78%
Mammogram
WI 80%
70%
Taking BP meds
WI 78%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
River Falls 6.9% · Wisconsin 1 in 13 (8%)
Mind & connection

How River Falls adults are doing

1 in 3River Falls adults feel lonely
33.7% · Wisconsin 30.6% · too close to call
1 in 4River Falls adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.8% · Wisconsin 23.2% · too close to call
1 in 5River Falls adults lack social or emotional support
19.2% · Wisconsin 20.2% · too close to call
1 in 6River Falls adults are in frequent mental distress
18.1% · Wisconsin 15.5% · worse
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 9
River Falls adults worry about having enough food
11.4% · WI 12.1% · about the same
1 in 11
River Falls adults worry about keeping their housing
9.1% · WI 9.7% · about the same
1 in 19
River Falls adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.3% · WI 5.5% · about the same
1 in 13
River Falls adults lack reliable transportation
7.6% · WI 6.7% · about the same

11.6% of River Falls adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.

Disability

Living with a disability

27.1%

of River Falls adults live with a disability (Wisconsin 29.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs9%
Thinking or memory14.9%
Hearing5.3%
Errands alone8.1%
Vision3.7%
Dressing or bathing2.6%

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

Around River Falls

River Falls and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near River Falls.

Troy: 34.2% River Falls: 33.2% Kinnickinnic: 34.2% Hudson: 35.5% Afton: 31.9% Clifton: 33.1% Hudson: 35.5% Lakeland: 33.9% Martell: 34.3% Trimbelle: 34.7% Warren: 37.3% Pleasant Valley: 35.8% River Falls: 32.2% River Falls Troy River Falls Kinnickinnic River Falls Area Hospital · River Falls · 1 mi · 5★ MedicareH Hudson Hospital · Hudson · 8.2 mi · 5★ MedicareH
31.9%37.3%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#2 of 13towns on this map, healthiest first
River Falls32.2%
River Falls33.2%
Troy34.2%
Kinnickinnic34.2%
6 places to get careNearest ER 1 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near River Falls

1 hospital in River Falls, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERRiver Falls Area HospitalRiver Falls · 1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyHudson Hospital★★★★★ · 8.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careElders LodgeSaint Paul · 21.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1 mi
River Falls Area Hospital
River Falls · ★★★★★
ERRural critical accessIn River Falls
8.2 mi
Hudson Hospital
Hudson · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
14.4 mi
Western Wisconsin Health
Baldwin · not rated
ERRural critical access
16 mi
Lakeview Memorial Hospital
Stillwater · ★★★★★
ER
21.6 mi
Elders Lodge
Saint Paul · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
22.5 mi
West Side Community Health Services
4 sites · nearest in Saint Paul
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careRiver Falls is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careRiver Falls is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthRiver Falls is not a shortage area

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 River Falls. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for River Falls
MeasureRiver FallsMarginWisconsin
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure25%22.7–27.5%33.3%better
High cholesterol27.5%25–30.3%34.4%better
Obesity32.2%27.3–37.8%37.7%about the same
Arthritis19.4%17.7–21.3%26.6%better
Depression25.8%22.8–29.2%23.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)7.5%6.3–8.9%9.9%better
Asthma11.3%10.2–12.6%10.8%about the same
Cancer (not skin)6.2%5.7–6.7%8.6%better
Diabetes7.5%6.7–8.4%11.4%better
COPD4.7%4.2–5.3%6.5%better
Heart disease4.4%4.1–4.9%6.6%better
Stroke2.3%2.1–2.5%3.4%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.5%9.8–13.2%13.6%better
Binge drink22.2%19.3–25.6%19%worse
Get no exercise22.9%19.6–26.6%26.6%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours33.5%28.7–38.1%32.6%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup72.6%69.2–75.9%77.6%worse
Dentist visit67.3%64.3–70%67.1%about the same
Cholesterol check79.4%76.7–82%85.9%worse
Colon screening67.8%64.2–71.1%69.4%about the same
Mammogram77.6%72.2–82.2%80.3%about the same
Taking BP meds70.2%68.2–72.1%77.8%worse
No health insurance6.9%5.6–8.6%8%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.7%29.6–38.1%30.6%about the same
Lack emotional support19.2%16.5–22%20.2%about the same
Frequent mental distress18.1%15.9–20.3%15.5%worse
Fair or poor health14%12.2–16.1%17.8%better
Frequent physical distress10.8%9.6–12.1%12.9%better
Everyday needs
Food insecurity11.4%9.3–13.8%12.1%about the same
Housing insecurity9.1%7.6–10.6%9.7%about the same
Utility shut-off threat5.3%4.5–6.2%5.5%about the same
No reliable transportation7.6%6.3–8.8%6.7%about the same
Receive SNAP11.6%9.5–14.1%12.5%
Disability
Any disability27.1%23.7–30.9%29.4%
Walking or climbing stairs9%8–10.1%13.4%
Thinking or memory14.9%12.8–17.2%12.8%
Hearing5.3%4.8–5.9%6.9%
Vision3.7%3.4–4.2%4.5%
Dressing or bathing2.6%2.4–2.9%3.5%
Errands alone8.1%6.9–9.3%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 River Falls door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Wisconsin figure falls inside it, we don't call River Falls better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes River Falls 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01