Photo: Jamie Begin · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Chelsea is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns
Chelsea differs from Michigan on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 22 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Chelsea. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chelsea
Chelsea is older than Michigan, yet healthier on chronic conditions
Chelsea runs below Michigan on obesity (25.9% vs 36.2%), COPD (6.3% vs 8.1%) and diabetes (9.3% vs 11.9%). That’s despite an older population: 35% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%). Conditions ↓
Chelsea is an active town
Only 15.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.9% across Michigan. Habits ↓
Cancer runs high in Chelsea
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13%), vs 8.9% across Michigan. Age is part of it: 35% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Chelsea has a top-rated hospital
Chelsea Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Chelsea’s likely range.
What’s behind Chelsea’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chelsea is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns, #28 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 97% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 85%.
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). Chelsea’s median household income is $72,098; among the 10,677 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$90K), it’s healthier than 100%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Chelsea adults…
Chelsea runs below MI on 5 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Chelsea is an older town: 35% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Chelsea as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
6.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Care in and near Chelsea
1 hospital in Chelsea, 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 Chelsea; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Chelsea adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
How Chelsea adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Chelsea does better than Michigan.
3 in 10 Chelsea 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.
5.3% of Chelsea adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Chelsea and the towns around it
Chelsea’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | A+ | 25.9% | 9.3% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Lima Township | A+ | 26.8% | 8.7% | 8.9% | ZIP codes |
| Sylvan Township | A | 28.1% | 9.4% | 9.6% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Chelsea adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chelsea
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chelsea is better than Michigan on 22 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Chelsea’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chelsea | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.5%10.5–14.6 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10.1–13.2 | 14% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.7–14.9 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.9%22.6–29.5 | 36.2% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.3%8.1–10.7 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33.4%30.6–36.2 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.4%31.4–37.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2%27.7–32.8 | 29.1% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.3–11.6 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13%11.9–14.2 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.1–7.9 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.3%5.2–7.4 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.4%3–3.9 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.8%6.3–9.5 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.5%6.9–10.3 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.5%12.9–18.3 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.9%13.8–18.1 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 23.4%20.7–26.5 | 34.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.9%3.1–4.9 | 6.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.4%79–83.7 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 80.3%78.2–82.4 | 68% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.9%90.7–93.1 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81%78.5–83.3 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.6%70.4–76.8 | 69% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%74–83.4 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.7%23–28.5 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.7%24.3–31.6 | 32.4% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 16.1%13.8–18.8 | 23.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.4%5.1–8 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.5%4.5–6.7 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4%3.4–4.8 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.3%3.7–5.1 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.3%4.2–6.7 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.7%22.6–29 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.5%9.6–13.5 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.2%8.7–11.7 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.4–9.5 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%2.9–4 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.3–7.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.3–3.1 | 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 Chelsea
Is Chelsea a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chelsea is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #28 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 100%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chelsea?
CDC estimates 25.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.6% and 29.5%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chelsea?
Chelsea Hospital in Chelsea, 0.1 miles in a straight line from Chelsea’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chelsea have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.1–4.9%), 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 Chelsea 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 Chelsea.
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.