On CDC estimates, Bad Axe is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Bad Axe trails Michigan on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bad Axe. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bad Axe
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Bad Axe
1 in 8 adults have COPD (12%), vs 8.1% across Michigan. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.4%), vs 7% across Michigan. Stroke is also above the state: 4.8%, vs 3.7% across Michigan. In all, Bad Axe runs above Michigan on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Bad Axe is in the bottom 10% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Bad Axe is healthier than only 10% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on physical distress and smoking. Health Grade ↓
More Bad Axe adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.9%), vs 24.9% across Michigan. Habits ↓
Bad Axe is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Bad Axe is healthier than 10%. Against the 3,889 towns with similar household incomes ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 37%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Michigan figure falls outside Bad Axe’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Bad Axe’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bad Axe is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns, #658 of 701 in Michigan. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 18% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 8%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Bad Axe’s median household income is $44,688; among the 3,889 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 37%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Bad Axe adults…
Bad Axe runs above MI on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Bad Axe is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Bad Axe as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
0.9 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Care in and near Bad Axe
1 community health center in Bad Axe, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Bad Axe; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Keeping up with care
Share of Bad Axe adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
How Bad Axe adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
1 in 3 Bad Axe adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.9% of Bad Axe adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Bad Axe and the towns around it
Bad Axe’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bad Axe | D | 40.5% | 14.6% | 19.4% | CDC place |
| Colfax Township | C− | 39.7% | 14.3% | 18.4% | ZIP codes |
| Verona Township | C− | 39.7% | 14.3% | 18.4% | ZIP 48413 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bad Axe adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bad Axe
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bad Axe is better than Michigan on 0 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Bad Axe’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bad Axe | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.8%20.7–28.8 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%15.2–20.3 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.2%16.8–21.9 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.5%32.5–49.8 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.6%12.5–16.8 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41%36.8–45.7 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.7%33.4–42.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34.9%31.3–38.9 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.7–13.8 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.5%9.5–11.7 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.4%8.2–10.7 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12%10–14.1 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.1–5.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.6%15.9–23.5 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.4%15.9–23 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.9%26.3–38.1 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12.1–17.7 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.5%27.2–40.4 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.5%6.5–11 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80%76.7–83.4 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63%59.2–66.5 | 68% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.7%83.4–87.9 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.3%76.6–81.8 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.5%61.3–71.4 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.5%64.3–79.7 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.5%24.6–33 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33%27.7–38.8 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.5%19.5–27.7 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.1%15.1–23.7 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.7%10.3–15.4 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.9%8.2–11.7 | 8.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.6%8–11.5 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.9%15.8–24.5 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.1%33.8–44.7 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.5%16.4–22.8 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%14.8–20.1 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.1%8.9–11.5 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%5.7–7.8 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.7%9.8–13.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.4–6.2 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Michigan figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bad Axe
Is Bad Axe a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bad Axe is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health, #658 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 37%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bad Axe?
CDC estimates 40.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.5% and 49.8%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bad Axe?
Mclaren Thumb Region in Bad Axe, 1.7 miles in a straight line from Bad Axe’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bad Axe have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–11%), against 6.9% across Michigan.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Bad Axe more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bad Axe.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Michigan figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.