Photo: Lrgjr72 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Ferndale is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Ferndale differs from Michigan on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 21 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ferndale. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ferndale
Binge drinking is the habit Ferndale doesn’t win on
20.1% of adults binge drink, vs 15.9% across Michigan, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Stroke and COPD are less common in Ferndale
Ferndale runs below Michigan on eight chronic conditions, most of all stroke (2% vs 3.7%), COPD (4.5% vs 8.1%) and heart disease (3.9% vs 7%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%). Conditions ↓
Health varies a lot right around Ferndale
Grades next door run from Pleasant Ridge (A+) to Detroit (D−). Ferndale is an A. Around town ↓
Ferndale is an active town
Only 15.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.9% 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 Ferndale’s likely range.
What’s behind Ferndale’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ferndale is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, #48 of 701 in Michigan. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every town); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 56%.
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). Ferndale’s median household income is $94,640; among the 9,348 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$118K), it’s healthier than 95%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
0.6 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Ferndale adults…
Ferndale runs below MI on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Ferndale residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Ferndale and the towns around it
Ferndale’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferndale | A | 31.2% | 6.7% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Oak Park | B− | 38.9% | 13% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Hazel Park | B− | 35.5% | 10.1% | 16.6% | CDC place |
| Royal Oak Township | A | 32.8% | 8% | 11.6% | ZIP 48220 |
| Royal Oak | A+ | 29.6% | 7.3% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Pleasant Ridge | A+ | 28.4% | 7.6% | 7.2% | CDC place |
| Detroit | D− | 45.6% | 19.2% | 21.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Ferndale
No hospital or community health center in Ferndale 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 Ferndale; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ferndale adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
How Ferndale adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
1 in 3 Ferndale 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.
8.2% of Ferndale adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ferndale adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ferndale
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ferndale is better than Michigan on 21 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Ferndale’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ferndale | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.3%10.7–14 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.8%8.7–11 | 14% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.9–18.6 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.2%27.7–34.7 | 36.2% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 26.2%24–28.5 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 28.2%25.8–30.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 18.5%16.9–20.3 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.7–12 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.4%5.9–7 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.5%4–5.1 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2%1.8–2.1 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.7%5.4–8.1 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.8%9.1–12.6 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.7%13.5–18.1 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.1%17.6–22.9 | 15.9% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31%28–34.4 | 34.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.2%4.4–6.3 | 6.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.8%74–79.5 | 80.3% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.3%71.9–76.7 | 68% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.5%85.7–89 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.6%66.8–72.2 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.4%67.2–73.7 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.9%72–81.5 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24%21.5–26.6 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.5%27.8–35.4 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.2%17.5–23.2 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.9%8.3–11.8 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.9%7.4–10.4 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.3–7.4 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6%5.1–6.9 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.2%6.7–9.9 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 20.2%17.9–22.8 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.2%6.3–8.2 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.9%10.4–13.5 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.2%2–2.4 | 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 Ferndale
Is Ferndale a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ferndale is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns: A for health, #48 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ferndale?
CDC estimates 31.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.7% and 34.7%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ferndale?
Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit, 3.7 miles in a straight line from Ferndale’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ferndale have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–6.3%), 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 Ferndale 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 Ferndale.
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.