Niles Railroad Depot · Photo: David Wilson · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Niles is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns
Niles trails Michigan on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Niles. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Niles
Dental care lags in Niles
58.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 68% across Michigan. Among those 65 and older, 16% have lost all their teeth (Michigan 10.2%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Niles
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19.9%), vs 15.4% across Michigan. Utility shut-off threats (11.3% vs 8.7%) and no reliable transportation (10.5% vs 8.3%) are higher too. 20.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Niles adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.5%), vs 24.9% across Michigan. Habits ↓
Niles is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Niles is healthier than 17%. Against the 6,265 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$64K), it’s healthier than 38%. 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 Niles’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Niles’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Niles is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns, #619 of 701 in Michigan. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 34% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Niles’ median household income is $51,376; among the 6,265 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$64K), it’s healthier than 38%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Niles 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.
20.2% of Niles adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
0.2 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Niles adults…
Niles runs above MI on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Niles
No hospital or community health center in Niles 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 Niles; ≈ 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).
How Niles adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Niles runs above Michigan.
1 in 3 Niles 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.
Niles and the towns around it
Niles’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niles | C− | 40.5% | 13.1% | 18% | CDC place |
| Niles Township | C | 38.3% | 13% | 16.5% | ZIP codes |
| Howard Township | C | 38.3% | 13.2% | 16.9% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Niles adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Niles
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Niles is better than Michigan on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Niles’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Niles | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.1%20.3–25.9 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.5–18.2 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.9%17.8–22.2 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.5%34.2–47.1 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.5–14.8 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.9%34.3–41.6 | 36.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%30.6–38.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.9%27.9–33.9 | 29.1% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.6%11.2–14.1 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.8–9.5 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.8–8.4 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.8%8.7–10.9 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.8–4.5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16%13.4–19.2 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%15.6–20.4 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.5%25.3–33.9 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.1–18.9 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.5%35.1–46.2 | 34.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.5–10.4 | 6.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78%74.5–81.2 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.3%55–61.8 | 68% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.9%83–86.7 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.9%73.1–78.5 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66%61.5–70.6 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74%67.2–80.2 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.2%24.6–32 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34%29.3–38.9 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%20.8–27.8 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.9%17.3–22.6 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.8%12.9–16.9 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.3%10–12.8 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.5%9.3–11.7 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.2%17.6–22.8 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.9%32.7–41.2 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.8%14.7–18.8 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.7%15.8–19.8 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.3–9.1 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.2%5.6–6.8 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.7–12.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 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 Niles
Is Niles a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Niles is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #619 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 38%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Niles?
CDC estimates 40.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.2% and 47.1%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Niles?
Memorial Hospital of South Bend in South Bend, 10.4 miles in a straight line from Niles’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Niles have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–10.4%), 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 Niles 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 Niles.
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.