Waukesha County, Wisconsin, along with its county seat also named Waukesha, has had a rich and intricate history with public health. In 1869, when a man dying of diabetes claimed to be cured by drinking “a half dozen dipper fulls” of local spring water, it ignited a tourism boom, giving the town the nickname “Spring City” (as noted in Encyclopedia of Milwaukee). Although that era concluded around 1918, the demand for the city’s water persisted.
With time, industrial growth and a rising population led to overuse of the aquifer. By 1987, the water table had dropped so significantly that Waukesha’s once-renowned water became tainted with radium. Initially, Waukesha resisted attempts to address this problem, but in 2017, the city agreed to a 40-year contract to purchase clean water from Lake Michigan via Milwaukee.
Today, the reputation of Waukesha County has dramatically improved. According to U.S. News & World Report, it is now considered one of the healthiest places to live in America.
Waukesha, Wisconsin Named One of the Healthiest Places in America
For its Healthiest Communities 2024 report, U.S. News & World Report evaluated data from nearly 3,000 counties, comparing them across 92 metrics in 10 categories to rank the 500 healthiest counties. They considered a variety of factors, including crime rates, food availability, and housing affordability, as well as mental health, safety, life expectancy, and healthcare access.
Waukesha County, Wisconsin, performed exceptionally well in their rankings, securing the #23 spot overall. The county achieved a population health score of 86 out of a possible 100 points, with residents having a life expectancy of 80.7 years compared to the national average of 75.8 years. The report also highlighted that only 4.1% of the population lacked health insurance, compared to 11.5% nationwide. Additionally, Waukesha County’s smoking rate of 11.6% was lower than the national average of 19.0%.
Other Outstanding Findings from the Healthiest Places Report
Waukesha County also scored high in Food & Nutrition, earning 86 out of 100 points. The report noted that the county had 4.9 local food outlets per 100,000 residents, slightly below the national average of 5.9. However, they excelled in areas such as diabetes and obesity prevalence, conditions often linked to poor nutrition. Waukesha’s diabetes prevalence was 6.7%, compared to 10.6% nationwide, and their obesity prevalence was 33.7% versus the national average of 37.4%.
The county also scored well in Economy and Infrastructure. The Economy score, which included factors like employment, opportunity, and wealth, was 86. The Infrastructure score, based on elements such as walkability, commute time, and internet access, was also 86.
