On CDC estimates, Custer Township is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns
Custer Township differs from Michigan on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 49659, 49615, 49612. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Custer Township
What’s behind Custer Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Custer Township is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise 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). Custer Township’s median household income is $83,750; among the 10,489 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$105K), it’s healthier than 30%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Custer Township compares well: worried about keeping housing, 9.6% (U.S. 12%).
Out of every 100 Custer Township adults…
Custer Township runs above MI on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Custer Township is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Custer Township as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Custer Township
No hospital or community health center in Custer Township 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 Custer 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
41 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Custer Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
How Custer Township adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
3 in 10 Custer Township 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.
12.6% of Custer Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Custer Township and the towns around it
Custer Township’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer Township | C+ | 37.6% | 13% | 15.8% | ZIP codes |
| Helena Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Forest Home Township | B | 35.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% | ZIP 49615 |
| Rapid River Township | C+ | 37.7% | 13.1% | 16.3% | ZIP codes |
| Kearney Township | B | 36.1% | 13.4% | 13% | ZIP codes |
| Mancelona Township | C | 38.6% | 12.7% | 17.5% | ZIP codes |
Helena Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Custer Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Custer Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Custer Township is better than Michigan on 4 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Custer Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Custer Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%17.7–22.5 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.6–17 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15.4–19 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.6%30.5–44.7 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11.4–14.5 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.7%35.9–43.4 | 36.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.9%35–42.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34.3%31.2–37.5 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.3–12.6 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.2%10.3–12.2 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.6%7.8–9.4 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.8%8.6–10.9 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.8–4.5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.2%9.3–13.4 | 10.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.8%13.7–17.9 | 14.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.1%21.3–29 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.3%12.9–17.8 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33%27.4–38.9 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.4%5.4–7.5 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.1%78.2–83.7 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.3%64.2–70.4 | 68% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.2%86.7–89.5 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.6%77.2–81.9 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.1%66.8–75 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.8%68.1–80.7 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.5%23.3–29.9 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.6%26.2–35.2 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%18.8–25 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.1%11.2–15.2 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.6%8.3–11.1 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.2%6.3–8.1 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.2%6.3–8.1 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.6%10.7–14.5 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.5%29.7–37.4 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.9%14–17.9 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%13–16.2 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%8.2–10.1 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.6–5.5 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%8–10 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 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 Custer Township
Is Custer Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Custer Township is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 30%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Custer Township?
CDC estimates 37.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.5% and 44.7%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Custer Township?
Kalkaska Memorial Health Center in Kalkaska, 11.0 miles in a straight line from Custer Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Custer Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.4–7.5%), 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 Custer 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 Custer Township.
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.