Photo: Dwight Burdette · CC BY 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Brooklyn is healthier than 66%
Brooklyn differs from Michigan on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Brooklyn. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brooklyn
Brooklyn is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Brooklyn is healthier than 38%. Against the 7,826 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 66%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Brooklyn
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.3%), vs 8.9% across Michigan. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (35.4%), vs 29.1% across Michigan. In all, Brooklyn runs above Michigan on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Brooklyn adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing and utility bills all run below Michigan. 1 in 8 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 Brooklyn’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Brooklyn’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brooklyn is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 54% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 31%).
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). Brooklyn’s median household income is $56,324; among the 7,826 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 66%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Brooklyn compares well: colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75), 73.2% (U.S. 65.5%); worried about keeping housing, 9.6% (U.S. 12%).
Out of every 100 Brooklyn adults…
Brooklyn runs above MI on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Brooklyn is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Brooklyn 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.
11.8% of Brooklyn adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Care in and near Brooklyn
No hospital or community health center in Brooklyn 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 Brooklyn; ≈ 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.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Brooklyn adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
How Brooklyn adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
1 in 3 Brooklyn 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.
Brooklyn and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn | C+ | 37.3% | 12.5% | 14.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Brooklyn adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brooklyn
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brooklyn is better than Michigan on 5 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Brooklyn’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brooklyn | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.9%17.7–24.2 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.3–17.5 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.8–20.1 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.3%31.8–43.1 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.8–14.4 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40%36.4–43.7 | 36.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.3%33.7–41.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.4%32.2–38.7 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.3–13.1 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.3%10.2–12.6 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.1–9.1 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.2%7.8–10.7 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4%3.5–4.5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.5%9.3–14 | 10.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%11.7–17.2 | 14.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.6%22.9–32.6 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.5–17.9 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.7%32.9–42.9 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.1%4.8–7.7 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%76.6–82.8 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.1%66.9–73 | 68% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88%86.2–89.8 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.7%76–81.3 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.2%69.2–77 | 69% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%71.7–84 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.3%23.9–30.9 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.6%27.7–36 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%18.9–25.3 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.6%10.4–15 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.6%8.1–11.4 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7%6–8.1 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.2–8.2 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.8%9.5–14.3 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.2%31.5–40.8 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.1%14.5–19.7 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%12.7–17 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%7.8–10.1 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.3–5.7 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%7.9–10.6 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.3–4.4 | 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 Brooklyn
Is Brooklyn a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brooklyn is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brooklyn?
CDC estimates 37.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.8% and 43.1%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brooklyn?
Henry Ford Allegiance Health in Jackson, 12.5 miles in a straight line from Brooklyn’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Brooklyn have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.8–7.7%), 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 Brooklyn 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 Brooklyn.
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.