Photo: Phillip L. Hofmeister · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Jackson is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns
Jackson differs from Michigan on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 25 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Jackson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Jackson
Jackson is in the bottom 3% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Jackson is healthier than only 3% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Jackson
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (27.3%), vs 15.4% across Michigan. Utility shut-off threats (15.9% vs 8.7%) and no reliable transportation (14.3% vs 8.3%) are higher too. 29.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Jackson
55.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 68% across Michigan. Among those 65 and older, 18.7% have lost all their teeth (Michigan 10.2%). Checkups ↓
More Jackson adults live with a disability
2 in 5 adults live with a disability (41.4%, vs 31.1% across Michigan). The biggest difference is vision loss: 8.1% vs 4.9%. Disability ↓
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 Jackson’s likely range.
What’s behind Jackson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jackson is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns, #686 of 701 in Michigan. All seven of Jackson’s estimates fall in the lowest 14% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is mental distress: 22.5% of adults, against 17.6% across Michigan and 15.9% nationally.
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). Jackson’s median household income is $44,558; among the 3,844 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$56K), it’s healthier than 11%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
29.9% of Jackson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Keeping up with care
Share of Jackson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Jackson adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Out of every 100 Jackson adults…
Jackson runs below MI on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 10. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Jackson
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Jackson, 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 Jackson; ≈ 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.
16 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves
How Jackson adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Jackson runs above Michigan.
1 in 3 Jackson 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.
Jackson and the towns around it
Jackson’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | D− | 45.3% | 15.3% | 21.7% | CDC place |
| Summit Township | C− | 40.5% | 13.1% | 16.8% | ZIP codes |
| Leoni Township | C | 39.5% | 12.4% | 16.2% | ZIP codes |
| Blackman Township | C− | 40.9% | 13% | 17.6% | ZIP codes |
| Vandercook Lake | — | — | — | — |
Vandercook Lake: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Every CDC estimate for Jackson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Jackson is better than Michigan on 1 and worse on 25; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Jackson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Jackson | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.2%26.4–32.2 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16.3–20.1 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.5%20.3–24.9 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 45.3%39.4–51.4 | 36.2% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.3%13.5–17.2 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.3%37.7–44.9 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.5%31.1–38.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.3%29.4–35.4 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13.2%11.8–14.7 | 11.5% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.9–8.3 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.3–8.9 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.5%10.4–12.6 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.3–4.9 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.7%15.6–22 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.7%19.2–24.3 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35.1%31.1–39.5 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.5–17.8 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 45.1%39.9–50.4 | 34.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.2%8.9–11.7 | 6.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.3%74–80.5 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.9%52.4–59.3 | 68% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.7%80.9–84.7 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.4%71.6–77 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.7%60.2–69.2 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.2%67.1–80.5 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.5%26–33.2 | 25.7% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35.1%31–39.5 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.5%23.4–29.9 | 23.1% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 27.3%24.7–30.1 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.8%17.7–22 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.9%14.3–17.7 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.3%12.9–15.8 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 29.9%27.2–32.7 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.4%37.5–45.7 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.1%18.1–22.3 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.4%18.5–22.6 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%7.1–8.9 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.1%7.4–8.8 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.1%11.9–14.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.2%5.7–6.7 | 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 Jackson
Is Jackson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jackson is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #686 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 11%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Jackson?
CDC estimates 45.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 39.4% and 51.4%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Jackson?
Henry Ford Allegiance Health in Jackson, 0.8 miles in a straight line from Jackson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Jackson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.9–11.7%), 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 Jackson more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Jackson.
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.