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≈ C−Health Grade
Health in Buel Township · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Buel Township is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns

Buel Township trails Michigan on 4 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 48422, 48401, 48466. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Buel Township

Smoking is more common in Buel Township

1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (17.9%), vs 14.6% across Michigan. Habits ↓

COPD runs high in Buel Township

1 in 10 adults have COPD (9.9%), vs 8.1% across Michigan. Conditions ↓

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 Buel Township’s likely range; Buel Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 48422, 48401, 48466, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.

Health Grade

What’s behind Buel Township’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buel Township is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 37% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 21%).

CSelf-rated health21.4% · MI 19.4% · U.S. 19.4%
C−Physical distress15.8% · MI 14% · U.S. 13%
C−Mental distress18.6% · MI 17.6% · U.S. 15.9%
C−Obesity39.8% · MI 36.2% · U.S. 32.9%
C+Diabetes12.9% · MI 11.9% · U.S. 12%
C−Smoking17.9% smoke · MI 14.6% · U.S. 11.8%
CExercise29.3% · MI 24.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 23%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $45K–$75K (8,828)Healthier than 35%

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). Buel Township’s median household income is $59,688; among the 8,828 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 35%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Buel Township could be anywhere from D to B. The letter shows with “≈”. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 48422,48401,48466), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan

Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.

Get no exercise 29.3%MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 32.5%MI 34.7%
Binge drink 16.5%MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettes 17.9%MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Buel Township, betterBuel Township, worseAbout the sameMichigan
Where Buel Township gets moving

3 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Buel Township adults…

Buel Township runs above MI on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

10 of every 100 Buel Township adults have COPD
Michigan: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 8.7–11.2%
Better than MIWorseAbout the sameMichigan
Getting care

Care in and near Buel Township

No hospital or community health center in Buel Township itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERMckenzie Health SystemSandusky · 11.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careDownriver Community ServicesPort Huron · 26.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
11.1 mi
Mckenzie Health System
Sandusky · not rated
ERRural critical access
16.1 mi
Deckerville Community Hospital
Deckerville · not rated
ERRural critical access
19.3 mi
Marlette Regional Hospital
Marlette · not rated
ERRural critical access
≈24.8 mi
Mclaren Port Huron
Port Huron · ★★★★★
ER
26.2 mi
Downriver Community Services
3 sites · nearest in Port Huron
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
27.5 mi
Great Lakes Bay Health Centers
3 sites · nearest in Imlay City
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Buel Township itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Buel Township itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Buel Township itself

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 Buel 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).

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Buel Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.

80%Yearly checkupMI 80%
65%Dentist visitMI 68%
87%Cholesterol checkMI 87%
68%Colon screeningMI 69%
74%MammogramMI 77%
78%Taking BP medsMI 78%
1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Buel Township 7.8% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How Buel Township adults are doing

About the same as Michigan on each measure.

1 in 3Buel Township adults feel lonely
32.8% · MI 32.4% · About the same as MI
1 in 4Buel Township adults lack social or emotional support
23.6% · MI 23.1% · About the same as MI
3 in 10Buel Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.8% · MI 25.7% · About the same as MI
1 in 5Buel Township adults are in frequent mental distress
18.6% · MI 17.6% · About the same as MI
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Buel Township adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6
Buel Township adults worry about having enough food
15.4% · MI 15.4%
About the same as MI
1 in 9
Buel Township adults worry about keeping their housing
11.4% · MI 11.9%
About the same as MI
1 in 12
Buel Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.2% · MI 8.7%
About the same as MI
1 in 12
Buel Township adults lack reliable transportation
8.1% · MI 8.3%
About the same as MI

14.5% of Buel Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Around town

Buel Township and the towns around it

Buel Township’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.

Lexington Township: 39.5%Elk Township: 40.2%Fremont Township: 39.4%Lexington: 38%Worth Township: 39.3%Washington Township: 39.9%Speaker Township: 40.5%Flynn Township: 39.7%Watertown Township: 39.7%Greenwood Township: 38.2%Grant Township: 37.9%Buel Township: 39.8%Buel TownshipLexington TownshipElk TownshipFremont TownshipMckenzie Health System · Sandusky · 11.1 miH
Healthier than MINear MILess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#9 of 12 towns on this map, healthiest first
Fremont Township39.4%
Lexington Township39.5%
Buel Township39.8%
Elk Township40.2%
MI36.2%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Buel TownshipC−39.8%12.9%17.9%ZIP codes
Elk TownshipC−40.2%12.9%19%ZIP codes
Lexington TownshipC−39.5%13.5%17.2%ZIP codes
Fremont Township————

Fremont Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

35.2%

of Buel Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.1%
Thinking or memory16.1%
Hearing8.7%
Errands alone9.6%
Vision5.4%
Dressing or bathing4.3%
Michigan

Every CDC estimate for Buel Township

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Buel Township is better than Michigan on 0 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Buel Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…Buel TownshipMIU.S.vs MI
Overall health
Fair or poor health21.4%18.5–24.419.4%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)15.8%14–17.914%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)18.6%16.5–20.817.6%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity39.8%31.7–48.136.2%32.9%About the same
Diabetes12.9%11.1–14.711.9%12%About the same
High blood pressure38.7%34.4–4336.7%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)37.4%33.1–41.835.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis32.2%28.7–35.829.1%25.3%About the same
Asthma11.6%10.3–13.111.5%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer9.7%8.8–10.78.9%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease8%7.1–8.97%6.4%Worse
COPD9.9%8.7–11.28.1%6.3%Worse
Stroke4%3.6–4.43.7%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)15.1%12.3–18.210.2%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17.9%15.3–20.714.6%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work29.3%24.7–34.524.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking16.5%13.5–19.615.9%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours32.5%26.4–39.334.7%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)7.8%6.5–9.36.9%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year79.6%76–82.780.3%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year65.1%61.6–68.768%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years86.6%84.7–88.387.4%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)78%75.1–80.677.6%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)67.7%62.9–72.569%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)74.3%66.8–81.476.9%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression27.8%24–31.925.7%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely32.8%27.5–38.132.4%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support23.6%20–27.423.1%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food15.4%12.8–18.115.4%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing11.4%9.6–13.311.9%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off8.2%7.1–9.48.7%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation8.1%7–9.38.3%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)14.5%12.2–1714.3%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability35.2%30.7–4031.1%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs16.1%14–18.414%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering16.1%14.2–18.114.3%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty8.7%7.7–9.77.3%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty5.4%4.8–64.9%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone9.6%8.4–10.78.6%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing4.3%3.8–4.83.8%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 Buel Township

Is Buel Township a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buel Township is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 35%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Buel Township?

CDC estimates 39.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.7% and 48.1%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Buel Township?

Mckenzie Health System in Sandusky, 11.1 miles in a straight line from Buel Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Buel Township have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 7.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–9.3%), 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 Buel 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 Buel Township.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.