Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Bay City is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns
Bay City trails Michigan on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bay City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bay City
Dental care lags in Bay City
61% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 68% across Michigan. Among those 65 and older, 16.4% have lost all their teeth (Michigan 10.2%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Bay City
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19.9%), vs 15.4% across Michigan. Utility shut-off threats (10.9% vs 8.7%) and no reliable transportation (10.3% vs 8.3%) are higher too. 20.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Bay City
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (18.9%), vs 14.6% across Michigan. Habits ↓
Bay City is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Bay City is healthier than 16%. Against the 5,577 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 42%. 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 Bay City’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Bay City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bay City is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns, #624 of 701 in Michigan. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 36% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Bay City’s median household income is $49,420; among the 5,577 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 42%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bay City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.1% of Bay City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
10 miles of trails across 27 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Bay City adults…
Bay City runs above MI on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Bay City
1 hospital in Bay City, 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 Bay City; ≈ 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).
How Bay City adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Bay City runs above Michigan.
1 in 3 Bay City 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.
Bay City and the towns around it
Bay City’s Health Grade ranks 7th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay City | C− | 40.7% | 13% | 18.9% | CDC place |
| Bangor Township | C+ | 37.5% | 12.6% | 15.3% | ZIP 48706 |
| Portsmouth Township | C− | 40% | 13.4% | 18.2% | ZIP codes |
| Frankenlust Township | B− | 36.4% | 12.1% | 14.9% | ZIP codes |
| Hampton Township | C+ | 37.8% | 12.4% | 15.4% | ZIP codes |
| Essexville | A− | 35.1% | 10.3% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| Monitor Township | C+ | 37.3% | 12.5% | 15.2% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bay City adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bay City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bay City is better than Michigan on 0 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Bay City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bay City | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.8%20.1–25.7 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.4–18.3 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.9%17.8–22.3 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.7%33.4–48.3 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11.3–14.9 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.7%32.7–41 | 36.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.5%30.5–38.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.7%27.4–34.2 | 29.1% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.2%10.8–13.7 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.7–9.3 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 10.1%9.1–11.2 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.6–4.3 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.4%13.4–19.6 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.9%16.5–21.5 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.2%24.9–34 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.1%13.3–19.3 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.2%30.3–42.4 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.2%8–10.7 | 6.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.1%74.5–81.5 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61%57.3–64.5 | 68% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.6%82.6–86.5 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.8%72.8–78.7 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65%60–69.7 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.2%67.7–81.7 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.7%24.9–33 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33%28.1–38.2 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.4%20–27.1 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.9%17.2–22.6 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.2%12.2–16.3 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.9%9.4–12.3 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.3%9–11.5 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.1%17.6–22.7 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.5%30.4–39.1 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16%14.1–18.1 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.7%15.9–19.8 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%7.1–9 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.6–6.7 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.4–5.2 | 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 Bay City
Is Bay City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bay City is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #624 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 42%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bay City?
CDC estimates 40.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.4% and 48.3%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bay City?
Mclaren Bay Region in Bay City, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Bay City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bay City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8–10.7%), 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 Bay City 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 Bay City.
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.