Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Ironwood is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Ironwood trails Michigan on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ironwood. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ironwood
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Ironwood
1 in 8 adults have COPD (12.8%), vs 8.1% across Michigan. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.3%), vs 7% across Michigan. Stroke is also above the state: 5.1%, vs 3.7% across Michigan. In all, Ironwood runs above Michigan on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Ironwood is in the bottom 10% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Ironwood is healthier than only 10% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on self-rated health, physical distress, diabetes and smoking. Health Grade ↓
More Ironwood adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.3%), vs 24.9% across Michigan. There are 22 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Ironwood is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Ironwood is healthier than 10%. Against the 2,752 towns with similar household incomes ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 44%. Health Grade ↓
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 Ironwood’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Ironwood’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ironwood is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns, #663 of 701 in Michigan. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 25% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Ironwood’s median household income is $41,250; among the 2,752 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 44%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Ironwood adults…
Ironwood runs above MI on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Ironwood is an older town: 28% 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 Ironwood as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
22 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Care in and near Ironwood
No hospital or community health center in Ironwood 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 Ironwood; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Ironwood adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
How Ironwood adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
1 in 3 Ironwood 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.
21.2% of Ironwood adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Ironwood and the towns around it
Ironwood’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ironwood | D | 39.5% | 15.7% | 20% | CDC place |
| Erwin Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Ironwood Township | C− | 37.7% | 14.7% | 17.8% | ZIP codes |
Erwin Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ironwood adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ironwood
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ironwood is better than Michigan on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Ironwood’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ironwood | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.4%22.1–29.2 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16–20.5 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.3%17.1–21.7 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.5%31.3–48.5 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.7%13.6–17.9 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43.2%38.8–47.9 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.9%35.4–44.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 36.4%32.6–40.2 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.2%10.8–13.7 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.9%9.9–11.9 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.3%9.2–11.5 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.8%11.2–14.5 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.6%10.9–16.6 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20%17–23.4 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.3%26.2–36.8 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%12.2–17.8 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.8%28–41.8 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%6.1–9.3 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.2%78–84.3 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.5%58.6–66.2 | 68% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.5%84.7–88.3 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.1%77.5–82.5 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%61.7–71.9 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.7%66.4–81.6 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.4%24.5–32.6 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%26.8–37.9 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%18.5–26 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.2%16–22.7 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.9%10.9–15.2 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.8%9.2–12.4 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10%8.7–11.5 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.2%17.8–25 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39%34.3–44.1 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20%17.4–22.9 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.3%15.1–19.7 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.7%9.5–11.9 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7%6.2–7.9 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.8%10.4–13.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.7%5.1–6.5 | 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 Ironwood
Is Ironwood a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ironwood is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D for health, #663 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 44%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ironwood?
CDC estimates 39.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.3% and 48.5%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ironwood?
Aspirus Ironwood Hospital in Ironwood, 3.0 miles in a straight line from Ironwood’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Ironwood have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–9.3%), 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 Ironwood more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ironwood.
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.