Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Harbor Springs Depot · Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Harbor Springs is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Harbor Springs differs from Michigan on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Harbor Springs. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Harbor Springs
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Harbor Springs
1 in 6 adults have had cancer (15.4%), vs 8.9% across Michigan. 2 in 5 adults have arthritis (38.7%), vs 29.1% across Michigan. Heart disease is also above the state: 9%, vs 7% across Michigan. In all, Harbor Springs runs above Michigan on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 44% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Harbor Springs, and more people treating it
43.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Michigan 36.7%), but 84.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
Harbor Springs keeps up with checkups
It beats Michigan on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (86.1% vs 80.3%) and dentist visits (77.8% vs 68%). 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 Harbor Springs’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Harbor Springs’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Harbor Springs is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 96% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 37%).
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). Harbor Springs’ median household income is $75,417; among the 10,839 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$94K), it’s healthier than 90%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Harbor Springs adults…
Harbor Springs runs above MI on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Harbor Springs is an older town: 44% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Harbor Springs as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Harbor Springs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Care in and near Harbor Springs
No hospital or community health center in Harbor Springs 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 Harbor Springs; ≈ 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.
2.1 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
How Harbor Springs adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Harbor Springs does better than Michigan.
3 in 10 Harbor Springs 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.
6.2% of Harbor Springs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Harbor Springs and the towns around it
Harbor Springs has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbor Springs | A− | 30% | 12.9% | 10% | CDC place |
| West Traverse Township | A− | 31.8% | 12.5% | 11.5% | ZIP 49740 |
| Little Traverse Township | B+ | 32.6% | 12.3% | 12.4% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Harbor Springs adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Harbor Springs
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Harbor Springs is better than Michigan on 15 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Harbor Springs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Harbor Springs | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.2%13–19.9 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.3–16 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.7%10.9–14.8 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30%22.6–37.9 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.9%10.7–15.2 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 43.3%38.2–48.4 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.5%37.5–47.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.7%34.2–43.2 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.3–12 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 15.4%13.8–17 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.6–10.5 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.4%6.5–10.4 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.6–5.1 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.2%8.3–12.4 | 10.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10%7.5–12.7 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.9%16.9–27.5 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.3%10–15 | 15.9% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 25%19.9–30.4 | 34.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.3%3.3–5.5 | 6.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 86.1%83.5–88.5 | 80.3% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.8%75.2–80.4 | 68% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.3%92.2–94.3 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.5%81.7–87.1 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.5%72–80.3 | 69% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80%73.1–85.7 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.3%18.8–26.1 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.8%23–33.2 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.1%15–21.8 | 23.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.3%5.6–9.4 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.6%4.4–6.9 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.1%3.3–4.9 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.4%3.6–5.3 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.2%4.6–8.2 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.5%26.3–37.1 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.5%12.2–19 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.3%8.5–12.3 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.1%8.6–11.7 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.4–5 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.2%5.8–8.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.6–3.9 | 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 Harbor Springs
Is Harbor Springs a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Harbor Springs is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Harbor Springs?
CDC estimates 30% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.6% and 37.9%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Harbor Springs?
Mclaren Northern Michigan in Petoskey, 4.2 miles in a straight line from Harbor Springs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Harbor Springs have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.3–5.5%), 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 Harbor Springs 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 Harbor Springs.
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.