Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Gerrish Township is healthier than 21%
Gerrish Township differs from Michigan on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 48653. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gerrish Township
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Gerrish Township
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13%), vs 8.9% across Michigan. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (9.8%), vs 7% across Michigan. COPD is also above the state: 10.6%, vs 8.1% across Michigan. In all, Gerrish Township runs above Michigan on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 36% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and cancer, heart disease and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Gerrish Township trails towns with similar incomes
Gerrish Township is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns, and only 21% of the 9,192 towns with similar household incomes ($72K–$120K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Gerrish Township, and more people treating it
42.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Michigan 36.7%), but 82.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
Gerrish Township keeps up with checkups
It beats Michigan on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.3% vs 80.3%) and cholesterol checks (90.6% vs 87.4%). Checkups ↓
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 Gerrish Township’s likely range; Gerrish Township’s figures come from ZIP code 48653, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Gerrish Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gerrish Township is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns, #399 of 701 in Michigan. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 74% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Gerrish Township’s median household income is $95,813; among the 9,192 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$120K), it’s healthier than 21%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where Gerrish Township compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 5.7% (U.S. 11%); checkup in the past year, 83.3% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 90.6% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 Gerrish Township adults…
Gerrish Township runs above MI on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Gerrish Township is an older town: 36% 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 Gerrish Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gerrish Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Care in and near Gerrish Township
1 community health center in Gerrish 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 Gerrish 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
24 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
How Gerrish Township adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Gerrish Township does better than Michigan.
3 in 10 Gerrish 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.
11.3% of Gerrish Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Gerrish Township and the towns around it
Gerrish Township has the best Health Grade of the 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gerrish Township · Lyon Township | C+ | 37% | 14.2% | 14.9% | ZIP 48653 |
| Markey Township | C+ | 37.5% | 14.5% | 15.3% | ZIP codes |
| Higgins Township | C− | 38.9% | 15.5% | 17.2% | ZIP codes |
| Beaver Creek Township | C | 37.3% | 14.5% | 16.6% | ZIP codes |
| Lake Township | C | 38.8% | 15.4% | 16.5% | ZIP codes |
Gerrish Township and Lyon Township share one ZIP estimate, so they share a row. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gerrish Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gerrish Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gerrish Township is better than Michigan on 10 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Gerrish Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gerrish Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.5%18.3–22.7 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.4–17.5 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%14.1–17.2 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37%30.5–43.8 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.7–16 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.9%39.2–46.7 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.7%36.8–44.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.2%34–40.5 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%10.2–12.4 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13%11.9–14 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.8%9–10.6 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.6%9.6–11.7 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.3–5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.4%9.6–13.4 | 10.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%13.2–16.8 | 14.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26%22.4–29.8 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.2%12–16.5 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.4%25.5–35.7 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.7%4.9–6.7 | 6.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.3%80.7–85.6 | 80.3% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.3%67.5–72.9 | 68% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.6%89.5–91.6 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.8%80.5–84.9 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75%71.3–78.3 | 69% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.6%70.5–81.7 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.6%22.5–28.8 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.6%25.5–33.7 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.4%17.7–23.1 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.6%10.1–13.3 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.4%7.4–9.6 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.4%5.6–7.2 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.7–7.1 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.3%9.8–12.9 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.3%30.7–38 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.4%15.6–19.3 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.3%12.1–14.7 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.3%9.4–11.3 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.7–5.6 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%8.1–9.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%4–4.7 | 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 Gerrish Township
Is Gerrish Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gerrish Township is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #399 of 701 in Michigan. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gerrish Township?
CDC estimates 37% of adults (the figure for ZIP code 48653, which Gerrish Township shares with Lyon Township) have obesity, likely between 30.5% and 43.8%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gerrish Township?
Munson Healthcare Grayling Hospital in Grayling, 13.8 miles in a straight line from Gerrish Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gerrish Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–6.7%), 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 Gerrish Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+. The figures are ZIP code 48653’s, shared with Lyon Township.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gerrish 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.