Photo: Michael Tomko · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Dowagiac is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Dowagiac trails Michigan on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dowagiac. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dowagiac
Making ends meet is harder in Dowagiac
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.4%), vs 15.4% across Michigan. Utility shut-off threats (12.1% vs 8.7%) and no reliable transportation (11.4% vs 8.3%) are higher too. 21.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Dowagiac
61.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 68% across Michigan. Among those 65 and older, 16.2% have lost all their teeth (Michigan 10.2%). Checkups ↓
More Dowagiac adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.9%), vs 24.9% across Michigan. Habits ↓
Dowagiac is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Dowagiac is healthier than 15%. Against the 5,069 towns with similar household incomes ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 41%. Health Grade ↓
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 Dowagiac’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Dowagiac’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dowagiac is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns, #631 of 701 in Michigan. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 33% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Dowagiac’s median household income is $48,166; among the 5,069 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 41%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
21.8% of Dowagiac adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Keeping up with care
Share of Dowagiac adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
1.6 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Dowagiac adults…
Dowagiac runs above MI on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Dowagiac
1 hospital in Dowagiac, 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 Dowagiac; ≈ 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).
How Dowagiac adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Dowagiac runs above Michigan.
1 in 3 Dowagiac 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.
Dowagiac and the towns around it
Dowagiac’s Health Grade ranks 5th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dowagiac | D | 39.2% | 13.2% | 19.1% | CDC place |
| Pokagon Township | C− | 37.5% | 13.4% | 17.4% | ZIP codes |
| LaGrange Township | C | 37.3% | 14% | 17.1% | ZIP codes |
| Silver Creek Township | C− | 37.3% | 13.5% | 17.5% | ZIP codes |
| Wayne Township | C− | 37.4% | 13.5% | 17.5% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dowagiac adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dowagiac
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dowagiac is better than Michigan on 0 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Dowagiac’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dowagiac | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.2%21.3–27.2 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.5–18.4 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.8%18.6–23.2 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.2%31.2–47.4 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.2%11.5–15 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.6%33.4–41.8 | 36.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.1%31–39.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.3%27.1–33.6 | 29.1% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.8%11.4–14.4 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.1%7.4–8.9 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 10.1%9–11.2 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.9–4.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.2%13.3–19.4 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.1%16.7–21.8 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.9%25.3–34.8 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%12.7–18.6 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.4%30.8–44 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.2%7.9–10.8 | 6.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%75–81.9 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.6%57.9–65 | 68% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.2%82.2–86.1 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.9%73.1–78.6 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.7%59.5–69.5 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.7%64.3–79.8 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.9%25–33 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.8%28.9–41.1 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.6%21.5–30.1 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.4%18.3–24.9 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.9%13.5–18.5 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.1%10.5–14 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.4%10–13 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.8%18.9–24.9 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37%32.5–41.6 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%14.8–19 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.5%16.5–20.6 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%7.1–8.9 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%5.9–7.2 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.3%10.1–12.6 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.5–5.5 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Dowagiac
Is Dowagiac a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dowagiac is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health, #631 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 41%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Dowagiac?
CDC estimates 39.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.2% and 47.4%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dowagiac?
Ascension Borgess Lee Hospital in Dowagiac, 0.1 miles in a straight line from Dowagiac’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Dowagiac have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.9–10.8%), 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 Dowagiac 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 Dowagiac.
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.