On CDC estimates, Bear Lake Township is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns
Bear Lake Township differs from Michigan on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 49614, 49645, 49619. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bear Lake Township
What’s behind Bear Lake Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bear Lake Township is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 53% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 24%).
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 Lake Township’s median household income is $72,958; among the 10,730 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$91K), it’s healthier than 37%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Bear Lake Township compares well: cholesterol check in 5 years, 89% (U.S. 87.1%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 81% (U.S. 76.5%); worried about keeping housing, 9.6% (U.S. 12%).
Out of every 100 Bear Lake Township adults…
Bear Lake Township runs above MI on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Bear Lake Township is an older town: 29% 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 Bear Lake Township as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Bear Lake Township
No hospital or community health center in Bear Lake Township itself. These are the nearest.
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 Lake 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.
7.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Bear Lake Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
How Bear Lake Township adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
3 in 10 Bear Lake 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.8% of Bear Lake Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Bear Lake Township and the towns around it
Bear Lake Township’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Lake Township | C+ | 36.4% | 13.6% | 15.6% | ZIP codes |
| Maple Grove Township | C− | 38.2% | 14.6% | 18% | ZIP codes |
| Brown Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Pleasanton Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Onekama Township | B | 34.7% | 13.2% | 13.2% | ZIP codes |
Brown Township and Pleasanton Township: 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 Lake Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bear Lake 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 Lake Township is better than Michigan on 5 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Bear Lake 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 Lake Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.7%18–23.6 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%13.9–17.8 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%14.9–19.1 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.4%28.4–44.6 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.6%11.8–15.6 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.6%36.2–45.2 | 36.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.3%34.7–44.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.7%31.9–39.5 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–13 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.7%10.6–12.9 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%8.1–10.1 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.2%8.9–11.5 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%4–4.8 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.9%10.5–15.7 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.6%13.3–18.2 | 14.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.1%23.6–33 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.2–17.9 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.8%25.6–38.5 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.5%5.3–7.8 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82%78.8–84.9 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.6%64.1–71 | 68% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89%87.6–90.4 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81%78.2–83.5 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.8%68.1–77.2 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%68–82.6 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.6%22.8–30.8 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.5%25.4–35.6 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%18.1–25 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.2%11–15.5 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.6%8.1–11.3 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.2%6.1–8.3 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.1–8.1 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.8%10.7–15.1 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.6%30.1–39.1 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%14.6–19.2 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.7–16.3 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.6%8.5–10.7 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%8.1–10.3 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.8–4.8 | 3.8% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Lake Township
Is Bear Lake Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bear Lake Township is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. 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 Bear Lake Township?
CDC estimates 36.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.4% and 44.6%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bear Lake Township?
Munson Healthcare Manistee Hospital in Manistee, 10.3 miles in a straight line from Bear Lake Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bear Lake Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–7.8%), 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 Lake Township 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 Bear Lake 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.