On CDC estimates, Fork Township is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns
Fork Township differs from Michigan on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 49305, 49679. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fork Township
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Fork Township
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.4%), vs 8.1% across Michigan. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (9.6%), vs 7% across Michigan. Stroke is also above the state: 4.7%, vs 3.7% across Michigan. In all, Fork Township runs above Michigan on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Fork Township
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (18.1%), vs 14.6% across Michigan. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Fork Township, and more people treating it
41.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Michigan 36.7%), but 80.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
Fork Township is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fork Township is healthier than 20%. Against the 7,771 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 36%. 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 Fork Township’s likely range; Fork Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 49305, 49679, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Fork Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fork Township is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 35% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Fork Township’s median household income is $56,161; among the 7,771 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 36%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Fork Township compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.4% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Fork Township adults…
Fork Township runs above MI on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Fork 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 Fork Township as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
4 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fork Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Care in and near Fork Township
No hospital or community health center in Fork 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 Fork 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).
How Fork Township adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
1 in 3 Fork 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.
15.4% of Fork Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Fork Township and the towns around it
Fork Township’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fork Township | C− | 38.3% | 14.2% | 18.1% | ZIP codes |
| Coldwater Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Sheridan Township | C− | 38.7% | 13.6% | 17.8% | ZIP codes |
| Chippewa Township | C− | 39% | 14.1% | 18.4% | ZIP codes |
| Orient Township | — | — | — | — |
Coldwater Township and Orient 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 Fork Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fork Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fork Township is better than Michigan on 1 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Fork Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fork Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.2%20.2–26.3 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%15–18.9 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%16–19.9 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.3%31.4–45.7 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.4–16.1 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.8%38–45.8 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.4%35.4–43.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.7%32.5–39.2 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.4–12.9 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.1%10.1–12.2 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.6%8.5–10.6 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.4%9.9–12.8 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14%11.6–16.7 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.1%15.7–21 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29%24.9–33.5 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.5–17.7 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.3%28.6–40.3 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6–8.9 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.3%78.3–84.1 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.9%61.5–68.3 | 68% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%86.1–89.2 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.4%77.9–82.8 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.6%64.1–73 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.8%66.1–80.3 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.5%24–31.2 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.9%27.1–36.8 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23%19.6–26.5 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.4%12.9–18.1 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.9%9.2–12.7 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.3%7.1–9.5 | 8.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.4%12.9–17.9 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.7%33.4–42.1 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.3%16–20.8 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%14.2–18 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10%9–11.1 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.3–6.6 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.2%8.9–11.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 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 Fork Township
Is Fork Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fork Township is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 36%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fork Township?
CDC estimates 38.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.4% and 45.7%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fork Township?
Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital in Big Rapids, 17.2 miles in a straight line from Fork Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fork Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6–8.9%), 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 Fork 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 Fork 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.