Photo: brewbooks · CC BY-SA 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Big Rapids is healthier than 95%
Big Rapids differs from Michigan on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Big Rapids. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Big Rapids
Mental distress runs high in Big Rapids
1 in 4 adults are in frequent mental distress (23.5%), vs 17.6% across Michigan. Depression is above the state too: 32.9%, vs 25.7% across Michigan. Mind & connection ↓
Dental care lags in Big Rapids
61.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 68% across Michigan. Among those 65 and older, 18.9% have lost all their teeth (Michigan 10.2%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Big Rapids
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19.9%), vs 15.4% across Michigan. No reliable transportation (12.2% vs 8.3%) and utility shut-off threats (10.8% vs 8.7%) are higher too. 20.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Big Rapids is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Big Rapids is healthier than 55%. Against the 3,636 towns with similar household incomes ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 95%. 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 Big Rapids’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Big Rapids’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Rapids is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns, #298 of 701 in Michigan. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 95% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Big Rapids’ median household income is $43,858; among the 3,636 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 95%, more than its income alone would suggest.
How Big Rapids adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Big Rapids runs above Michigan.
2 in 5 Big Rapids 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Big Rapids 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.
20.3% of Big Rapids adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Out of every 100 Big Rapids adults…
Big Rapids runs below MI on 7 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Big Rapids residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Big Rapids
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Big Rapids, 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 Big Rapids; ≈ 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.
4.3 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Big Rapids and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Rapids | B | 34.2% | 8.4% | 14.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Big Rapids adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Big Rapids
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Big Rapids is better than Michigan on 7 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Big Rapids’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Big Rapids | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.8%17.2–22.5 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.7–15.1 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 23.5%20.9–26.2 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.2%27.5–41.4 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.4%7.3–9.5 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 26.4%23.4–29.7 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 26.3%23.1–29.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 20.5%18.3–22.8 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12.7%11.3–14.2 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.5%5–6 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.7–5.8 | 7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.6%6.7–8.6 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.5–3 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.9%15.5–22.4 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.7%12.4–17 | 14.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.6%20.5–28.9 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19%15.8–22.5 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.5%29.4–41.7 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.5%6.1–9 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.6%71.7–79.2 | 80.3% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.3%57.4–64.7 | 68% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 76.9%74–79.6 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.2%64.9–69.2 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.3%59–69.1 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.4%64.3–79.3 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 32.9%28.7–37.4 | 25.7% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 38.5%32.6–44.4 | 32.4% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.6%20.1–27.7 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.9%16.5–23.5 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.7%11.5–16.1 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.8%9.2–12.5 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.2%10.5–14 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.3%17–23.8 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35%30.6–39.7 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.8%10.3–13.3 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.4%17.9–23.1 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.4–6.8 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%5.1–6.3 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.2%9.9–12.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.3–4.2 | 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 Big Rapids
Is Big Rapids a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Rapids is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #298 of 701 in Michigan. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Big Rapids?
CDC estimates 34.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.5% and 41.4%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Big Rapids?
Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital in Big Rapids, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Big Rapids’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Big Rapids have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–9%), 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 Big Rapids more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Big Rapids.
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.