Health · White River

White River, WI health

White River differs from Wisconsin on 9 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (13% vs 9.9%) and more smokers (17.2% vs 13.6%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 54806, 54855, 54856
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

White River’s Health Grade: C

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, White River is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns.

B-Self-rated healthC+Physical distressB-Mental distressC-ObesityC+DiabetesC-SmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 31%
Less healthyHealthier
Wisconsin towns we grade (877)Healthier than 13%
Towns with similar incomes, $66K–$110K (9,312)Healthier than 16%

Wealth explains part of the grade. White River is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, White River 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 White River 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. White River’s figures come from the ZIP codes that cover it, weighted by land area. 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 White River 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 White River adults…

35 of every 100 White River adults have high blood pressure
Wisconsin: 33 in 100 · too close to call · margin 31.1–37.9%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

White River, betterWhite River, worseToo close to callWisconsin
Get no exerciseshare of adults 30% White River
WI 26.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 33.3% White River
WI 32.6%
Binge drinkshare of adults 18% White River
WI 19%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 17.2% White River
WI 13.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

77%
Yearly checkup
WI 78%
62%
Dentist visit
WI 67%
85%
Cholesterol check
WI 86%
67%
Colon screening
WI 69%
76%
Mammogram
WI 80%
79%
Taking BP meds
WI 78%
1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
White River 7.9% · Wisconsin 1 in 13 (8%)
Mind & connection

How White River adults are doing

1 in 3White River adults feel lonely
32.6% · Wisconsin 30.6% · too close to call
1 in 4White River adults have been diagnosed with depression
26% · Wisconsin 23.2% · too close to call
1 in 5White River adults lack social or emotional support
20.8% · Wisconsin 20.2% · too close to call
1 in 6White River adults are in frequent mental distress
17.2% · 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 7
White River adults worry about having enough food
14% · WI 12.1% · about the same
1 in 9
White River adults worry about keeping their housing
10.9% · WI 9.7% · about the same
1 in 15
White River adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.8% · WI 5.5% · worse
1 in 13
White River adults lack reliable transportation
8% · WI 6.7% · worse

15.9% of White River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.5% across Wisconsin.

Disability

Living with a disability

32.5%

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

Walking or climbing stairs15.3%
Thinking or memory14.6%
Hearing8.2%
Errands alone9.3%
Vision5.3%
Dressing or bathing4.2%

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

Around White River

White River 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 White River.

Kelly: 39.9% Sanborn: 41.1% Gingles: 41.3% Marengo: 41.1% Ashland: 40.6% Lincoln: 39.3% Mason: 39.3% Eileen: 40.9% Morse: 40.8% Gurney: 39.7% Ashland: 41.2% Grand View: 38.8% Gordon: 40.5% White River: 41.2% White River Kelly Sanborn Gingles Marengo Ashland Tamarack Health Ashland Medical Center · Ashland · 8.2 mi · 3★ MedicareH Northlakes - Ashland Downtown · Ashland · 9.7 mi+
38.8%41.3%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#12 of 14towns on this map, healthiest first
Kelly39.9%
Ashland40.6%
Sanborn41.1%
Marengo41.1%
White River41.2%
Gingles41.3%
6 places to get careNearest ER 8.2 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 White River

No hospital or community health center in White River itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERTamarack Health Ashland Medical CenterAshland · 8.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyTamarack Health Hayward Medical Center★★★★★ · 31.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careLakes Community Health Center, Inc theAshland · 9.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
8.2 mi
Tamarack Health Ashland Medical Center
Ashland · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
9.7 mi
Lakes Community Health Center, Inc the
7 sites · nearest in Ashland
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
31.9 mi
Tamarack Health Hayward Medical Center
Hayward · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
36 mi
Aspirus Ironwood Hospital
Ironwood · not rated
ERRural critical access
41.1 mi
Flambeau Hospital
Park Falls · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
41.1 mi
Family Health Center - Park Falls Dental Center
Park Falls · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
✓ Primary careWhite River is not a shortage area
! Dental careWhite River's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Ashland County · need score 11 of 25
! Mental healthWhite River's county is a federal shortage area.Ashland/Bayfield/Douglas/Iron/Sawyer/Washburn Counties · need score 17 of 25

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 White River. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for White River
MeasureWhite RiverMarginWisconsin
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure34.5%31.1–37.9%33.3%about the same
High cholesterol34.2%30.6–37.7%34.4%about the same
Obesity41.2%35–47.4%37.7%about the same
Arthritis27.5%24.7–30.3%26.6%about the same
Depression26%22.7–29.4%23.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)13%10.6–15.5%9.9%worse
Asthma11.5%10.3–12.8%10.8%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8.9%8.1–9.7%8.6%about the same
Diabetes12.7%11.1–14.4%11.4%about the same
COPD8%7.1–9%6.5%worse
Heart disease7.6%6.8–8.4%6.6%worse
Stroke3.9%3.5–4.3%3.4%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17.2%15–19.6%13.6%worse
Binge drink18%15.1–21%19%about the same
Get no exercise30%26–34.3%26.6%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours33.3%27.9–38.7%32.6%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup77.1%73.7–80.2%77.6%about the same
Dentist visit62%58.5–65.2%67.1%worse
Cholesterol check84.6%82.7–86.3%85.9%about the same
Colon screening67.4%62.7–71.5%69.4%about the same
Mammogram75.7%68.5–81.5%80.3%about the same
Taking BP meds78.5%75.9–80.9%77.8%about the same
No health insurance7.9%6.7–9.4%8%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely32.6%28.4–36.8%30.6%about the same
Lack emotional support20.8%18–23.7%20.2%about the same
Frequent mental distress17.2%15.4–19.1%15.5%about the same
Fair or poor health20.1%17.8–22.7%17.8%about the same
Frequent physical distress14.8%13.2–16.6%12.9%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity14%11.9–16.2%12.1%about the same
Housing insecurity10.9%9.4–12.5%9.7%about the same
Utility shut-off threat6.8%5.9–7.7%5.5%worse
No reliable transportation8%7.1–9%6.7%worse
Receive SNAP15.9%13.7–18.2%12.5%
Disability
Any disability32.5%28.8–36.4%29.4%
Walking or climbing stairs15.3%13.5–17.2%13.4%
Thinking or memory14.6%13–16.2%12.8%
Hearing8.2%7.3–9%6.9%
Vision5.3%4.8–5.8%4.5%
Dressing or bathing4.2%3.8–4.6%3.5%
Errands alone9.3%8.3–10.4%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 White River door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Wisconsin figure falls inside it, we don't call White River better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like White River by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover White River by how much of its land each one covers.

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/15 · 2025-01-01