Photo: Tim Kiser (w:User:Malepheasant) · CC BY-SA 2.5On CDC estimates, Ontonagon is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns
Ontonagon differs from Michigan on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ontonagon. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ontonagon
Heart disease, COPD and cancer run high in Ontonagon
1 in 9 adults have heart disease (11.7%), vs 7% across Michigan. 1 in 7 adults have COPD (13.4%), vs 8.1% across Michigan. Cancer is also above the state: 13.8%, vs 8.9% across Michigan. In all, Ontonagon runs above Michigan on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and heart disease, COPD and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
The nearest ER is 39 miles from Ontonagon
The closest emergency room is Up Health System Portage in Hancock, 39.2 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center is closer (0.5 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
In Ontonagon, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 6.8% of working-age adults are uninsured (Michigan 6.9%), yet 24.6% say their health is fair or poor, vs 19.4% across the state. Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in Ontonagon, and more people treating it
48% of adults have high blood pressure (Michigan 36.7%), but 84.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
Ontonagon is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Ontonagon is healthier than 19%. Against the 5,852 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 47%. 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 Ontonagon’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Ontonagon’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ontonagon is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 56% of U.S. towns); physical distress 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). Ontonagon’s median household income is $50,164; among the 5,852 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.
Where Ontonagon compares well: binge drinking, 12.5% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 84.2% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 90.4% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 Ontonagon adults…
Ontonagon runs above MI on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Ontonagon is an older town: 38% 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 Ontonagon as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Ontonagon
1 community health center in Ontonagon, 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 Ontonagon; ≈ 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 Ontonagon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
4.4 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
How Ontonagon adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
3 in 10 Ontonagon 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.
15.1% of Ontonagon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Ontonagon and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontonagon | C− | 37.7% | 17% | 17.3% | CDC place |
| Ontonagon Township | C− | 37.6% | 16.9% | 17% | ZIP 49953 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ontonagon adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ontonagon
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ontonagon is better than Michigan on 4 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Ontonagon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ontonagon | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.6%20.8–28.8 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%15.9–20.9 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.6–18.8 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.7%29.4–46.1 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17%14.6–19.5 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 48%43.2–52.6 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.3%39.3–49.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 42.6%38.4–46.6 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.3 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.8%12.3–15.3 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.7%10.2–13.3 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 13.4%11.2–15.7 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.7%5–6.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.9%10.2–15.7 | 10.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.3%14.2–20.6 | 14.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.7%25.2–36.4 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.5%10.2–15.1 | 15.9% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.4%26.8–40.5 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%5.3–8.6 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.2%81.2–86.9 | 80.3% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.6%57.6–65.2 | 68% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.4%88.9–91.7 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.2%81.4–86.5 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.1%65.6–75.7 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.6%64.2–79.8 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.4%22.6–30.4 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.4%25–35.5 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%17.7–25.4 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.9%11.6–18.6 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.8%7.9–11.9 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.6%6.2–8.9 | 8.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.7%6.4–9 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.1%11.9–18.8 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.2%34.9–45.3 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22%18.6–25.4 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.2%13–17.5 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 12.1%10.6–13.6 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.6%5.7–7.8 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11%9.3–12.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%4.6–6.4 | 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 Ontonagon
Is Ontonagon a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ontonagon is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 47%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ontonagon?
CDC estimates 37.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.4% and 46.1%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
How many people in Ontonagon have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–8.6%), 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 Ontonagon 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 Ontonagon.
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.