Photo: Rachel Kramer · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Empire Township is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Empire Township differs from Michigan on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 49630, 49636, 49640, 49664. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Empire Township
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Empire Township
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (15.2%), vs 8.9% across Michigan. 2 in 5 adults have arthritis (38.7%), vs 29.1% across Michigan. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.8%, vs 7% across Michigan. In all, Empire Township runs above Michigan on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 50% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Empire Township keeps up with checkups
It beats Michigan on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (86.1% vs 80.3%) and dentist visits (76.7% vs 68%). Checkups ↓
Empire Township adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (26.1% vs 32.4%), frequent mental distress (12.2% vs 17.6%) and lack of emotional support (16.8% vs 23.1%) all run below Michigan. Mind & connection ↓
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 Empire Township’s likely range; Empire Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 49630, 49636, 49640, 49664, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Empire Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Empire Township is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 97% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 40%).
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). Empire Township’s median household income is $94,821; among the 9,318 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$119K), it’s healthier than 81%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Empire Township adults…
Empire Township runs above MI on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Empire Township is an older town: 50% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Empire Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Empire Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
How Empire Township adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Empire Township does better than Michigan.
1 in 4 Empire 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.
Care in and near Empire Township
No hospital or community health center in Empire 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 Empire Township; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
34 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.3% of Empire Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Empire Township and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire Township | A− | 31.3% | 12.7% | 9.7% | ZIP codes |
| Kasson Township | B+ | 33.3% | 12.4% | 12.3% | ZIP codes |
| Glen Arbor Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Platte Township | — | — | — | — |
Glen Arbor Township and Platte Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Empire Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Empire Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Empire Township is better than Michigan on 18 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Empire Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Empire Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.3%12.8–18 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.3–14.9 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.6–13.9 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.3%23.8–39.2 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.7%10.8–14.8 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 42.3%37.4–47.1 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.9%37.9–47.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.7%34.5–42.9 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.2–11.8 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 15.2%13.9–16.7 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.8%7.6–9.8 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.1%6.8–9.6 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4%3.5–4.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.7%7.1–10.6 | 10.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.7%7.8–11.9 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.8%15.9–23.9 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 12.8%10.4–15.3 | 15.9% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.8%22.2–33.9 | 34.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.8%2.9–4.9 | 6.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 86.1%83.5–88.5 | 80.3% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 76.7%73.9–79.4 | 68% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.7%92.7–94.6 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.7%81.8–87.1 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 79.9%75.9–83.4 | 69% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.8%73.1–85.4 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%19.3–26.6 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26.1%22.1–31.3 | 32.4% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 16.8%14.2–20.4 | 23.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.9%5.4–8.8 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.3%4.3–6.4 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4%3.4–4.8 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.2%3.5–5 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.3%4.8–8 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.1%24.7–33.6 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%11.9–16.6 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.6%8.3–11.2 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.1–10.5 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.2–4.4 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.5%5.5–7.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 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 Empire Township
Is Empire Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Empire Township is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 81%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Empire Township?
CDC estimates 31.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.8% and 39.2%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Empire Township?
Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital in Frankfort, 17.0 miles in a straight line from Empire Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Empire Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.9–4.9%), 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 Empire Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Empire 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.