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Colon Public LibraryPhoto: rossograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
≈ C−Health Grade
Health in Colon · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Colon is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns

Colon trails Michigan on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Colon. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Colon

COPD and heart disease run high in Colon

1 in 9 adults have COPD (11%), vs 8.1% across Michigan. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.4%), vs 7% across Michigan. Conditions ↓

Smoking is more common in Colon

1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (19.3%), vs 14.6% across Michigan. Habits ↓

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 Colon’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B.

Health Grade

What’s behind Colon’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Colon is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 41% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 12%).

C−Self-rated health23.4% · MI 19.4% · U.S. 19.4%
DPhysical distress16.7% · MI 14% · U.S. 13%
DMental distress19.6% · MI 17.6% · U.S. 15.9%
C+Obesity37.4% · MI 36.2% · U.S. 32.9%
C+Diabetes12.8% · MI 11.9% · U.S. 12%
DSmoking19.3% smoke · MI 14.6% · U.S. 11.8%
C+Exercise27.5% · MI 24.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 21%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $44K–$73K (8,523)Healthier than 33%

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). Colon’s median household income is $58,542; among the 8,523 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 33%, 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, Colon could be anywhere from D− to B. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Colon adults…

Colon runs above MI on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Colon adults have COPD
Michigan: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 9–13.2%
Better than MIWorseAbout the sameMichigan
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan

Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.

Get no exercise 27.5%MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 33.5%MI 34.7%
Binge drink 16.2%MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettes 19.3%MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Colon, betterColon, worseAbout the sameMichigan
Where Colon gets moving

0.3 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Getting care

Care in and near Colon

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

HNearest ERSturgis HospitalSturgis · 12.6 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyInsight Hospital and Medical Center Coldwater★★★★★ · 17.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCovered Bridge Healthcare of St. Joseph CountyCentreville · 10.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
10.3 mi
Covered Bridge Healthcare of St. Joseph County
Centreville · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
12.6 mi
Sturgis Hospital
Sturgis · not rated
ER
16.8 mi
Three Rivers Health
Three Rivers · ★★★★★
17.2 mi
Insight Hospital and Medical Center Coldwater
Coldwater · ★★★★★
ER
22.2 mi
Bowen Health
2 sites · nearest in Lagrange
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
22.8 mi
Parkview Lagrange Hospital
Lagrange · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Colon itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Colon itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Colon 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 Colon; ≈ 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 Colon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.

78%Yearly checkupMI 80%
67%Dentist visitMI 68%
85%Cholesterol checkMI 87%
66%Colon screeningMI 69%
72%MammogramMI 77%
78%Taking BP medsMI 78%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Colon 9% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How Colon adults are doing

About the same as Michigan on each measure.

1 in 3Colon adults feel lonely
34.5% · MI 32.4% · About the same as MI
1 in 4Colon adults lack social or emotional support
24.4% · MI 23.1% · About the same as MI
3 in 10Colon adults have been diagnosed with depression
28.8% · MI 25.7% · About the same as MI
1 in 5Colon adults are in frequent mental distress
19.6% · MI 17.6% · About the same as MI
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Colon 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
Colon adults worry about having enough food
16.6% · MI 15.4%
About the same as MI
1 in 9
Colon adults worry about keeping their housing
11.5% · MI 11.9%
About the same as MI
1 in 13
Colon adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.9% · MI 8.7%
About the same as MI
1 in 12
Colon adults lack reliable transportation
8.5% · MI 8.3%
About the same as MI

15.6% of Colon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Around town

Colon and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
ColonC−37.4%12.8%19.3%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

37.3%

of Colon adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs17.2%
Thinking or memory17.9%
Hearing9%
Errands alone10.6%
Vision5.6%
Dressing or bathing4.5%
Michigan

Every CDC estimate for Colon

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

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Colon is better than Michigan on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Colon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…ColonMIU.S.vs MI
Overall health
Fair or poor health23.4%19.1–27.819.4%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)16.7%14.2–19.414%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)19.6%16.9–22.217.6%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity37.4%29.9–45.236.2%32.9%About the same
Diabetes12.8%10.9–14.811.9%12%About the same
High blood pressure37.9%33.7–42.136.7%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)36.3%32.2–40.735.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis32.6%29.2–36.229.1%25.3%Worse
Asthma12.1%10.6–13.711.5%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer9.9%9–118.9%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease8.4%7.2–9.87%6.4%Worse
COPD11%9–13.28.1%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.2%3.6–4.93.7%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)16.8%14–20.810.2%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes19.3%15.3–2314.6%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work27.5%22.2–3324.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking16.2%13.4–19.515.9%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours33.5%28–40.834.7%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)9%6.4–11.86.9%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year78.1%74.6–81.680.3%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year67.4%64.4–71.268%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years84.7%82.1–87.287.4%87.1%Worse
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)77.5%74.6–80.177.6%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)66.2%61.8–71.769%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)71.8%64.3–80.376.9%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression28.8%24.8–3325.7%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely34.5%28.8–40.332.4%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support24.4%20.1–28.723.1%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food16.6%12.7–20.515.4%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing11.5%9–1411.9%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off7.9%6.4–9.48.7%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation8.5%6.9–10.18.3%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)15.6%11.9–19.314.3%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability37.3%31.6–4331.1%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs17.2%14.2–20.514%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering17.9%14.8–20.914.3%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty9%7.8–10.37.3%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty5.6%4.7–6.74.9%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone10.6%8.7–12.58.6%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing4.5%3.7–5.33.8%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 Colon

Is Colon a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Colon is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 33%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Colon?

CDC estimates 37.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.9% and 45.2%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Colon?

Insight Hospital and Medical Center Coldwater in Coldwater, 17.2 miles in a straight line from Colon’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

How many people in Colon have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–11.8%), 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 Colon 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 Colon.

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.