On CDC estimates, Gaines Township is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns
Gaines Township beats Michigan on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 49316, 49315, 49508, 49548. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gaines Township
Fewer Gaines Township adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Michigan. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Gaines Township
Gaines Township runs below Michigan on four chronic conditions, most of all COPD (6.3% vs 8.1%), stroke (3% vs 3.7%) and heart disease (5.7% vs 7%). A young population is part of it: only 14% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%). Conditions ↓
Gaines Township is an active town
Only 20.7% 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 Gaines Township’s likely range; Gaines Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 49316, 49315, 49508, 49548, 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 Gaines Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gaines Township is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns, #127 of 701 in Michigan. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 80% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 61%.
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). Gaines Township’s median household income is $82,738; among the 10,574 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($62K–$103K), it’s healthier than 85%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10% of Gaines Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Out of every 100 Gaines Township adults…
Gaines Township runs below MI on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
6.8 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Care in and near Gaines Township
1 community health center in Gaines Township, 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 Gaines Township; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gaines Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
How Gaines Township adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
1 in 3 Gaines 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.
Gaines Township and the towns around it
Gaines 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaines Township | A− | 33.6% | 10.1% | 12.8% | ZIP codes |
| Byron Township | A | 31.9% | 9.4% | 11.3% | ZIP codes |
| Kentwood | B | 34.9% | 11.2% | 13.7% | CDC place |
| Caledonia Township | A− | 33.1% | 9.6% | 11.9% | ZIP codes |
| Leighton Township | B+ | 34.8% | 10% | 14.3% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gaines Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gaines Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gaines Township is better than Michigan on 17 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Gaines Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gaines Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.7%13.9–17.5 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%11.1–13.7 | 14% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.7–18.1 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.6%29.4–37.9 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.1%8.9–11.3 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.4%29.4–35.3 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.9%28.9–34.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 26.2%23.8–28.5 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.7–12.1 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.8%8.1–9.6 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.3%5.7–7.1 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.1%6.7–9.6 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.8%11.1–14.5 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.7%18–23.4 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.5%15.1–20 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.3%28.7–36 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%5.1–7 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%76.9–82.2 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.5%70–74.9 | 68% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88%86.6–89.3 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.5%72.7–78.1 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71%67.4–74.1 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.8%71.1–81.6 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27%24.1–30 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.3%27.6–35.3 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%19.6–25.6 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.7%10.1–13.4 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.6%8.3–11 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%5.9–7.4 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10%8.6–11.4 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.6%23.7–29.4 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.9%9.7–12.2 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.8%11.4–14.1 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.8–7.1 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6.3–7.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.7–3.2 | 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 Gaines Township
Is Gaines Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gaines Township is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #127 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 85%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gaines Township?
CDC estimates 33.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.4% and 37.9%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gaines Township?
University of Michigan Health - West in Wyoming, 7.0 miles in a straight line from Gaines Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gaines Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7%), 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 Gaines 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 Gaines 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.