Photo: Protopian Pickle Jar · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Bear Creek Township is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Bear Creek Township differs from Michigan on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 49770, 49713. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bear Creek Township
Bear Creek Township keeps up with checkups
It beats Michigan on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (73.3% vs 68%) and cholesterol checks (89.3% vs 87.4%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in Bear Creek Township
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 8.9% across Michigan. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Bear Creek Township adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Michigan. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Bear Creek Township’s likely range; Bear Creek Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 49770, 49713, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Bear Creek Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bear Creek Township is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #105 of 701 in Michigan. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 83% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 69%.
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). Bear Creek Township’s median household income is $71,090; among the 10,594 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$89K), it’s healthier than 94%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bear Creek Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Out of every 100 Bear Creek Township adults…
Bear Creek Township runs below MI on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Bear Creek Township is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Bear Creek Township as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.3% of Bear Creek Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Care in and near Bear Creek Township
1 community health center in Bear Creek Township, 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 Bear Creek Township; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
39 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves
How Bear Creek Township adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
3 in 10 Bear Creek Township 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.
Bear Creek Township and the towns around it
Bear Creek Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Township | A− | 32.1% | 10.5% | 12% | ZIP codes |
| Petoskey | A | 31.2% | 9.9% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Springvale Township | A− | 31.9% | 10.4% | 11.9% | ZIP codes |
| Melrose Township | B | 35.9% | 11.8% | 14.5% | ZIP codes |
| Little Traverse Township | B+ | 32.6% | 12.3% | 12.4% | ZIP codes |
| Resort Township | A− | 31.8% | 10.4% | 11.8% | ZIP 49770 |
| Bay View | — | — | — | — | |
| Conway | — | — | — | — |
Bay View and Conway: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bear Creek Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bear Creek Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bear Creek Township is better than Michigan on 12 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Bear Creek Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bear Creek Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.5%13.4–17.9 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%11.1–14.3 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14–17.9 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.1%25.1–40.1 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9.1–12.2 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.6%31.6–39.9 | 36.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%32–40.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2%26.8–33.8 | 29.1% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.7–11.7 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.7%6.9–10.5 | 10.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12%10.2–14 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.1%16.6–24.2 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%13.9–20.3 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.1%23.5–35.1 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.9%4–5.9 | 6.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.1%77.8–84.2 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.3%70.3–76.2 | 68% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%87.8–90.6 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.2%75.2–80.9 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.1%69.8–78 | 69% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.9%73.3–85.4 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.5%21.9–29.6 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.2%25.2–35.2 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.9%16.7–23.2 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.4%7.7–11 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.7%6.5–9.1 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.8%4.9–6.5 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.3%6.8–9.8 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.2%24.5–32.5 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.2%10.5–14.1 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%10.8–13.9 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.8–8.5 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6.3–8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.4 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Bear Creek Township
Is Bear Creek Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bear Creek Township is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #105 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bear Creek Township?
CDC estimates 32.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.1% and 40.1%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bear Creek Township?
Mclaren Northern Michigan in Petoskey, 3.5 miles in a straight line from Bear Creek Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bear Creek Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4–5.9%), 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 Bear Creek Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bear Creek Township.
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.