CDC health data: Milwaukee County is loneliest county in Wisconsin
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Community health data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found adult loneliness is more prevalent in Milwaukee County than in any of Wisconsin's 71 other counties.
The report's most recent adult loneliness data at the county level is from 2023. It found, based on a collection of different health surveys, about 35% of Milwaukee County's adults deal with loneliness.
The least lonely county in the state is just to the north in Ozaukee County, which had an adult loneliness rate of 26%.
On Milwaukee's lakefront Friday, there were skeptics when a CBS 58 crew informed them of the CDC findings.
"I said what? Because it's such a lie," Lily Edmond, a Milwaukee County resident, said. "I feel like even if you go somewhere solo, there's always people to meet, somewhere to sit and vibe."
Others also expressed surprise at the numbers, maintaining they believe it's easy to find social connection in Milwaukee County.
"I mean, I make a lot of friends," Bhima Ferguson, a freshman at Marquette University High School, said. "I don't see a lot of lonely people. I guess it's hard to tell."
Edmond said she moved to Milwaukee from Sheboygan two years ago. She maintained it was easy to make to new friends since arriving in the state's most populous county.
"I feel like when I came, I was really nervous," she said. "I thought I was gonna be really lonely, but I met so many people, even within this year alone."
Others found the finds more believable. Kevin Weidner, a Waukesha County resident, didn't have a dog in the fight. He speculated social media use and socioeconomic factors drove the disparity between Milwaukee and Ozaukee counties.
"You think of a lot of people that live in Milwaukee County probably use a lot of social media. Maybe that is their way to access other things," Weidner said. "People in Ozaukee County probably are less likely to be constrained, they probably have a little more money."
Wisconsin, overall, had an adult loneliness rate of 31%. Compared to the rest of the Midwest, Wisconsin is pretty much in the middle.
Ohio had the region's highest rate, based on 2024 data, at 33%. Iowa was at 32%, while Michigan and Indiana were also at 31%. At 29%, Minnesota had the Midwest's lowest rate.
As for what advice they'd give to foster more social connection, people had their own suggestions.
"Get out and talk to your neighbors," Weidner said. "A lot of times, people don't even know who their neighbors are a few houses away. Talk to all the people on your block; get to know them as people."
At least in some ways, the belief on the lakefront was social connection is mainly a matter of perspective and willingness to get out of one's comfort zone.
"Far from lonely, far from lonely," Edmond said. "It's what you make it."