John W. Hunter House · Photo: Andrew Jameson · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Birmingham is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Birmingham differs from Michigan on 27 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 26 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Birmingham. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Birmingham
Birmingham is an active town
Only 13.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.9% across Michigan. Habits ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Birmingham
Birmingham runs below Michigan on eight chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.4% vs 8.1%), stroke (2.3% vs 3.7%) and diabetes (7.9% vs 11.9%). Conditions ↓
Birmingham adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (27.4% vs 32.4%), frequent mental distress (12.7% vs 17.6%), lack of emotional support (16.8% vs 23.1%) and depression (20.8% vs 25.7%) all run below Michigan. Mind & connection ↓
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 Birmingham’s likely range.
What’s behind Birmingham’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Birmingham is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #4 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 almost every town); the weakest is obesity, still better than 89%.
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). Birmingham’s median household income is $153,510; among the 2,538 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($115K–$192K), it’s healthier than 95%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
5.2 miles of trails across 22 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Birmingham adults…
Birmingham runs below MI on 10 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
How Birmingham adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, Birmingham does better than Michigan.
1 in 4 Birmingham 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.
Care in and near Birmingham
No hospital or community health center in Birmingham 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 Birmingham; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Birmingham 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.
4.3% of Birmingham adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Birmingham and the towns around it
Birmingham has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | A+ | 28.2% | 7.9% | 7.4% | CDC place |
| Bloomfield Township | A+ | 27.3% | 9.8% | 7.3% | ZIP codes |
| Troy | A+ | 26.5% | 9.6% | 8.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Birmingham adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Birmingham
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Birmingham is better than Michigan on 26 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Birmingham’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Birmingham | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10.6%9.3–11.9 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.3%8.3–10.4 | 14% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.7%11.3–14 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.2%24.9–31.5 | 36.2% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.9%7–8.9 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31%28.5–33.5 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34%31.3–36.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.8%21.7–25.9 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.2 | 11.5% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.9%9–10.7 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.5–5.6 | 7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.4%3.9–5 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 3.4%2.7–4.1 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.4%6.3–8.6 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 13.8%11.9–15.7 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.8%14.6–19.1 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.4%24.6–30.5 | 34.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.2%2.7–3.8 | 6.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.9%79.6–84.1 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 80.8%78.9–82.7 | 68% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.2%91.1–93.2 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.3%75.6–80.8 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.7%70.7–76.8 | 69% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79%74.4–83.3 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.8%18.5–23.2 | 25.7% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 27.4%23.9–30.8 | 32.4% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 16.8%14.4–19.2 | 23.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.8%4.8–6.9 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.3%4.4–6.2 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4%3.3–4.6 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.8%3.2–4.3 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.3%3.5–5.2 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 18.8%16.6–20.8 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.9%6.9–8.9 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.5%7.5–9.5 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.8–6 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.5%2.3–2.8 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2%1.8–2.2 | 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 Birmingham
Is Birmingham a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Birmingham is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #4 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Birmingham?
CDC estimates 28.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.9% and 31.5%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Birmingham?
Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak in Royal Oak, 2.3 miles in a straight line from Birmingham’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Birmingham have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.7–3.8%), 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 Birmingham more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Birmingham.
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.