Medical Arts Building · Photo: Andrew Jameson · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Grand Rapids is healthier than 72%
Grand Rapids differs from Michigan on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Grand Rapids. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Grand Rapids is healthier than 56%. Against the 10,461 towns with similar household incomes ($52K–$86K), it’s healthier than 72%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Grand Rapids
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19.5%), vs 15.4% across Michigan. No reliable transportation (10.7% vs 8.3%) and housing insecurity (15.2% vs 11.9%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 10 working-age adults in Grand Rapids has no health insurance
9.9% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 6.9% across Michigan. Checkups ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids runs below Michigan on seven chronic conditions, most of all cancer (6.6% vs 8.9%), heart disease (5.3% vs 7%) and arthritis (22.6% vs 29.1%). A young population is part of it: only 13% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%). Conditions ↓
Grand Rapids has a top-rated hospital
Spectrum Health is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Grand Rapids’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Grand Rapids’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Grand Rapids is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns, #292 of 701 in Michigan. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 75% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Grand Rapids’ median household income is $69,108; among the 10,461 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($52K–$86K), it’s healthier than 72%, more than its income alone would suggest.
At 201,183 residents, Grand Rapids is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.2% of Grand Rapids adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Keeping up with care
Share of Grand Rapids adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Out of every 100 Grand Rapids adults…
Grand Rapids runs below MI on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Grand Rapids residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Grand Rapids
2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Grand Rapids, 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 Grand Rapids; ≈ 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.
43 miles of trails across 76 parks and preserves
How Grand Rapids adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
1 in 3 Grand Rapids 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.
Grand Rapids and the towns around it
Grand Rapids’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | B | 36.4% | 10.4% | 14% | CDC place |
| Walker | A− | 33% | 9.1% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| Grand Rapids Township | A | 31.7% | 9.3% | 10.4% | ZIP codes |
| Wyoming | B− | 36.7% | 10.9% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| Kentwood | B | 34.9% | 11.2% | 13.7% | CDC place |
| East Grand Rapids | A+ | 29.7% | 7.4% | 7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Grand Rapids adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Grand Rapids
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Grand Rapids is better than Michigan on 8 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Grand Rapids’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Grand Rapids | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.3%17.2–21.4 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.6–14.5 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.9–20.9 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.4%31.7–41.1 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31%28–33.9 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 28.1%25.3–31.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22.6%20.4–24.8 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.3–12.9 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%6–7.2 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.8–5.8 | 7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.4%5.8–7.1 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.8–3.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.8%9.7–13.9 | 10.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14%12.3–15.8 | 14.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.9%20.8–26.9 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.6%14.9–20.5 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35%31–39 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.9%8.6–11.2 | 6.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.6%74.4–80.6 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65%62–67.7 | 68% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.5%81.5–85.3 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.8%69–74.3 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%64.3–72 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.5%69.3–80.8 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.5%25.2–31.8 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.5%30.4–38.9 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.7%21.6–27.9 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.5%17.4–21.8 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.2%13.4–17.1 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.2%16.3–20.2 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.8%26.6–33 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.7%10.4–13.1 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.9%14.2–17.6 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.3–6.7 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%5–5.9 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%8.1–10 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 3.8% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Grand Rapids
Is Grand Rapids a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Grand Rapids is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #292 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 Grand Rapids?
CDC estimates 36.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.7% and 41.1%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Grand Rapids?
Mercy Health Saint Mary's in Grand Rapids, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Grand Rapids’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Grand Rapids have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.6–11.2%), 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 Grand Rapids more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Grand Rapids.
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.