Wisconsin, known as "America's Dairyland," is a leader in the production of milk, cheese and other dairy products. The state also has a strong manufacturing sector. Wisconsin is in the Great Lakes region, bordered on the north by Lake Superior and on the east by Lake Michigan. Wisconsin covers 54,310 square miles, with a 2014 estimated population of 5,757,564 people – 1,504,295 living in rural Wisconsin (USDA-ERS). Madison, the capital, is located in the southern region of the state. The state’s largest cities are Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 88.1% of the state’s population is white, 6.5% is African American/Black, 2.5% is Asian, 1.1% is American Indian & Alaska Native, and 6.3% is of Hispanic/Latino origin (2013).
Wisconsin Rural Healthcare Facilities
There are 129 hospitals in Wisconsin (Kaiser, 2013). The state has 58 hospitals identified as Critical Access Hospitals (Flex Team, 4/2015). There are 67 Rural Health Clinics in Wisconsin (CMS, 2015), and 16 Federally Qualified Health Centers provide services at 96 sites in the state (NACHC, 2013).
Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural Wisconsin
Most Wisconsinites have some form of health insurance coverage, although 9.0% of the state's residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2013). According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per-capita income for Wisconsinites in 2013 was $43,244, although rural per-capita income lagged at $38,776. Estimates from 2013 indicate a poverty rate of 13.1% exists in rural Wisconsin, compared to a 13.6% level in urban areas of the state. The ERS reports, based on 2009-2013 ACS data, that 10.6% of the rural population has not completed high school, compared to 9.2% of urban populations. The unemployment rate in rural Wisconsin is at 7.3%, while in urban Wisconsin it is at 6.5% (USDA-ERS, 2013).United States.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Rural Health Clinic List; Flex Monitoring Team: Critical Access Hospital List; Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts; National Association of Community Health Centers: Key Health Center Data By State; U.S. Census Bureau: State & County QuickFacts; USDA Economic Research Service: State Fact Sheets
Phone: 800.385.0005 or 608.261.1883
Works to improve the quality of health for rural and underserved communities in Wisconsin. Collaborates with health care organizations and systems, community based providers and individuals, and educational organizations to develop programs and provide resources designed to enhance life in rural communities.
There are more organizations related to Wisconsin in the organizations section.