Photo: TCP04 · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, New Buffalo Township is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns
New Buffalo Township differs from Michigan on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 49117, 49129. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in New Buffalo Township
Cancer and arthritis run high in New Buffalo Township
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.8%), vs 8.9% across Michigan. 36.4% of adults have arthritis, vs 29.1% across Michigan. In all, New Buffalo Township runs above Michigan on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in New Buffalo Township, and more people treating it
41.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Michigan 36.7%), but 82% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
Fewer New Buffalo Township adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Michigan. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 New Buffalo Township’s likely range; New Buffalo Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 49117, 49129, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind New Buffalo Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New Buffalo Township is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #262 of 701 in Michigan. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 88% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 29%).
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). New Buffalo Township’s median household income is $92,188; among the 9,693 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 50%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 New Buffalo Township adults…
New Buffalo Township runs above MI on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
New Buffalo Township is an older town: 38% 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 New Buffalo Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of New Buffalo Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.5% of New Buffalo Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Care in and near New Buffalo Township
No hospital or community health center in New Buffalo Township 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 New Buffalo Township; ≈ 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 9 parks and preserves
How New Buffalo Township adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, New Buffalo Township does better than Michigan.
3 in 10 New Buffalo Township 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.
New Buffalo Township and the towns around it
New Buffalo Township’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Buffalo Township | B | 36.1% | 13.5% | 12.1% | ZIP codes |
| New Buffalo | B+ | 35.4% | 12.2% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Grand Beach | — | — | — | — | |
| Michiana | — | — | — | — | |
| Three Oaks Township | B− | 36.2% | 12.5% | 13.9% | ZIP codes |
| Chikaming Township | B | 35.9% | 13.1% | 13.3% | ZIP codes |
Grand Beach and Michiana: 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 New Buffalo Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for New Buffalo Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, New Buffalo Township is better than Michigan on 11 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside New Buffalo Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | New Buffalo Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.1%15.6–20.9 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.7–16.5 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.5–16.1 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.1%29.9–42.5 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.5%11.7–15.4 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41.8%37.7–46 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.1%35.9–44.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 36.4%32.8–40 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.9–12.5 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.8%11.6–14 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.6–9.6 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.9%7.7–10.3 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12%9.9–14.5 | 10.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.1%10.1–14.5 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 23.9%20.1–28.1 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.8%11.3–16.5 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.2%29.3–39.6 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.3%4.4–6.5 | 6.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.9%80–85.5 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70%67.2–73 | 68% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.4%90.2–92.6 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82%79.2–84.5 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.3%70.3–78.1 | 69% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.2%71.1–82.9 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.3%20.9–27.7 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.1%23.7–32.7 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19%16.1–22.3 | 23.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.3%8.5–12.3 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.7%6.4–9.1 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.9%5–6.9 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.9–6.6 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5%7.7–11.5 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32%28–36.2 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.5%13.5–18 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.9%10.3–13.5 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%8–10.1 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%4.1–5.1 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.7–8.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.3–4.3 | 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 New Buffalo Township
Is New Buffalo Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New Buffalo Township is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #262 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 50%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in New Buffalo Township?
CDC estimates 36.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.9% and 42.5%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to New Buffalo Township?
Franciscan Health Michigan City in Michigan City, 10.2 miles in a straight line from New Buffalo Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in New Buffalo Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–6.5%), 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 New Buffalo Township 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 New Buffalo Township.
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.