Hall-Fowler Memorial Library · Photo: Gpwitteveen · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Ionia is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns
Ionia differs from Michigan on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ionia. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ionia
Making ends meet is harder in Ionia
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.8%), vs 15.4% across Michigan. Housing insecurity (17.6% vs 11.9%) and utility shut-off threats (12.7% vs 8.7%) are higher too. 19.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Ionia adults lack emotional support
3 in 10 adults lack social or emotional support (30.2%), vs 23.1% across Michigan. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 20%, vs 17.6% across Michigan. Mind & connection ↓
Ionia is behind on routine checkups
It trails Michigan on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (73.9% vs 80.3%), dentist visits (58.6% vs 68%), cholesterol checks (80.3% vs 87.4%) and colon screening (60.7% vs 69%). 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 Ionia’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Ionia’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ionia is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #503 of 701 in Michigan. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 74% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Ionia’s median household income is $63,978; among the 9,728 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 41%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Ionia compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 29.1% (U.S. 37.1%); arthritis, 21.4% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.2% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.7% of Ionia adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
How Ionia adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Ionia runs above Michigan.
4 in 10 Ionia 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ionia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Out of every 100 Ionia adults…
Ionia runs below MI on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Ionia 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 Ionia
1 hospital in Ionia, 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 Ionia; ≈ 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.
2.5 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Ionia and the towns around it
Ionia’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ionia | C | 44.1% | 10.5% | 20.2% | CDC place |
| Ionia Township | C | 42.2% | 11.2% | 18.6% | ZIP codes |
| Easton Township | C | 42.1% | 11.4% | 18.5% | ZIP codes |
| Berlin Township | C+ | 40.8% | 11.4% | 17.1% | ZIP codes |
| Orange Township | B− | 40% | 10.6% | 16.2% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ionia adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ionia
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ionia is better than Michigan on 6 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Ionia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ionia | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.5%18.8–24.6 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.9–15.2 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20%17.8–22.4 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 44.1%36.4–52.2 | 36.2% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9.1–12 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.6%30.6–38.9 | 36.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29.1%25.3–33 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 21.4%18.8–24.2 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.2%4.7–5.8 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.9–6.1 | 7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7%6.2–7.9 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.7–3.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.9%12.1–17.9 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.2%17.5–23.1 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.6%22.3–31 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20.3%16.8–24.4 | 15.9% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.9%34.2–47.8 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.3%9.3–13.6 | 6.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.9%69.6–78 | 80.3% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.6%54.8–62.3 | 68% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.3%77.7–82.8 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 64.9%61.2–68.7 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.7%55.7–65.6 | 69% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.3%67.5–81.8 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%20.7–28.1 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.2%30.8–42 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.2%26–34.5 | 23.1% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.8%18.5–25.2 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.6%15.1–20.3 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.7%11–14.5 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.5%9.9–13 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.7%16.6–22.8 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.7%27.5–36.1 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.4%9.9–13 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.5%15.5–19.7 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.7–5.8 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.8–9.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 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 Ionia
Is Ionia a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ionia is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #503 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 41%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ionia?
CDC estimates 44.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.4% and 52.2%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ionia?
Sparrow Ionia Hospital in Ionia, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Ionia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ionia have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.3–13.6%), 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 Ionia 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 Ionia.
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.