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≈ C+Health Grade
Health in Otsego Lake Township · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Otsego Lake Township is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns

Otsego Lake Township differs from Michigan on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 3 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 49735, 49733. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Otsego Lake Township

Cancer runs high in Otsego Lake Township

1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.8%), vs 8.9% across Michigan. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓

Fewer Otsego Lake Township adults struggle to make ends meet

Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Michigan. 1 in 8 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 Otsego Lake Township’s likely range; Otsego Lake Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 49735, 49733, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.

Health Grade

What’s behind Otsego Lake Township’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Otsego Lake Township is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns, #376 of 701 in Michigan. Fair or poor health holds the grade up (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 53% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 38%).

B−Self-rated health19.2% · MI 19.4% · U.S. 19.4%
C+Physical distress14.9% · MI 14% · U.S. 13%
C+Mental distress17.5% · MI 17.6% · U.S. 15.9%
C+Obesity37.5% · MI 36.2% · U.S. 32.9%
B−Diabetes12.3% · MI 11.9% · U.S. 12%
B−Smoking15% smoke · MI 14.6% · U.S. 11.8%
B−Exercise25.4% · MI 24.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 45%
Less healthyHealthier
Michigan towns we grade (701)Healthier than 46%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $55K–$91K (10,744)Healthier than 50%

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). Otsego Lake Township’s median household income is $73,073; among the 10,744 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$91K), it’s healthier than 50%, about where its income would put it.

Where Otsego Lake Township compares well: worried about having enough food, 12.3% (U.S. 15%); worried about keeping housing, 9.4% (U.S. 12%).

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Otsego Lake Township could be anywhere from D to A−. The letter shows with “≈”. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 49735,49733), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Otsego Lake Township adults…

Otsego Lake Township runs above MI on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Otsego Lake Township adults have had cancer
Michigan: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 9.8–11.8%
Better than MIWorseAbout the sameMichigan
Why age matters here

Otsego Lake Township is an older town: 31% 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 Otsego Lake Township as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Otsego Lake Township31%
Michigan19%
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 8
Otsego Lake Township adults worry about having enough food
12.3% · MI 15.4%
Better than MI
1 in 11
Otsego Lake Township adults worry about keeping their housing
9.4% · MI 11.9%
Better than MI
1 in 14
Otsego Lake Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.9% · MI 8.7%
Better than MI
1 in 14
Otsego Lake Township adults lack reliable transportation
6.9% · MI 8.3%
Better than MI

11.6% of Otsego Lake Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Getting care

Care in and near Otsego Lake Township

No hospital or community health center in Otsego Lake Township itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERMunson Healthcare Grayling HospitalGrayling · 16.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMunson Healthcare Grayling Hospital★★★★★ · 16.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careThunder Bay Community Health ServiceLewiston · 18.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
9 mi
Munson Healthcare Otsego Memorial Hospital
Gaylord · ★★★★★
16.4 mi
Munson Healthcare Grayling Hospital
Grayling · ★★★★★
ER
18.2 mi
Thunder Bay Community Health Service
4 sites · nearest in Lewiston
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
26.1 mi
East Jordan Family Health Center
2 sites · nearest in Bellaire
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
27.5 mi
Kalkaska Memorial Health Center
Kalkaska · not rated
ERRural critical access
35.5 mi
Mclaren Northern Michigan
Petoskey · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Otsego Lake Township itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Otsego Lake Township itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Otsego Lake Township itself

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 Otsego Lake 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan

Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.

Get no exercise 25.4%MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 33%MI 34.7%
Binge drink 16.4%MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettes 15%MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Otsego Lake Township, betterOtsego Lake Township, worseAbout the sameMichigan
Where Otsego Lake Township gets moving

54 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Otsego Lake Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.

81%Yearly checkupMI 80%
70%Dentist visitMI 68%
88%Cholesterol checkMI 87%
73%Colon screeningMI 69%
76%MammogramMI 77%
79%Taking BP medsMI 78%
1 in 16
working-age adults has no health insurance
Otsego Lake Township 6.1% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How Otsego Lake Township adults are doing

About the same as Michigan on each measure.

1 in 3Otsego Lake Township adults feel lonely
31.2% · MI 32.4% · About the same as MI
1 in 5Otsego Lake Township adults lack social or emotional support
21.2% · MI 23.1% · About the same as MI
1 in 4Otsego Lake Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.3% · MI 25.7% · About the same as MI
1 in 6Otsego Lake Township adults are in frequent mental distress
17.5% · MI 17.6% · About the same as MI
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Otsego Lake Township adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Otsego Lake Township and the towns around it

Otsego Lake Township’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 graded towns around it.

Bagley Township: 38%Chester Township: 38%Maple Forest Township: 36.3%Hayes Township: 38%Gaylord: 38%Livingston Township: 38.1%Charlton Township: 38.5%Lovells Township: 37.5%Dover Township: 38.3%Grayling Township: 37.6%Frederic Township: 36.1%Elmira Township: 38%Star Township: 38.1%Mancelona Township: 38.6%Lakes of the North: 39.8%Otsego Lake Township: 37.5%Otsego Lake TownshipBagley TownshipChester TownshipMaple Forest TownshipHayes TownshipMunson Healthcare Otsego Memorial Hospital · Gaylord · 9 mi · 4★ MedicareHMunson Healthcare Grayling Hospital · Grayling · 16.4 mi · 3★ MedicareH
Healthier than MINear MILess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#3 of 16 towns on this map, healthiest first
Maple Forest Township36.3%
Otsego Lake Township37.5%
Bagley Township38%
Chester Township38%
Hayes Township38%
MI36.2%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Otsego Lake TownshipC+37.5%12.3%15%ZIP codes
Bagley TownshipC+38%12%15%ZIP 49735
Chester TownshipC+38%13%15.5%ZIP codes
Maple Forest Township————
Hayes TownshipC+38%12%15.1%ZIP codes

Maple Forest Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

33.1%

of Otsego Lake Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15%
Thinking or memory14.4%
Hearing8.5%
Errands alone8.6%
Vision4.7%
Dressing or bathing3.8%
Michigan

Every CDC estimate for Otsego Lake Township

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Otsego Lake Township is better than Michigan on 4 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Otsego Lake Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…Otsego Lake TownshipMIU.S.vs MI
Overall health
Fair or poor health19.2%16.6–21.919.4%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)14.9%13.1–16.814%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)17.5%15.5–19.517.6%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity37.5%29.8–45.636.2%32.9%About the same
Diabetes12.3%10.6–14.111.9%12%About the same
High blood pressure38.3%34–42.536.7%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)37.6%33.3–4235.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis32.9%29.3–36.329.1%25.3%Worse
Asthma11.6%10.2–1311.5%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer10.8%9.8–11.88.9%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease7.9%7.1–8.77%6.4%Worse
COPD9.1%8–10.38.1%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.9%3.6–4.23.7%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)10.9%8.9–13.110.2%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15%12.8–17.514.6%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work25.4%21.3–3024.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking16.4%13.5–19.515.9%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours33%27–39.334.7%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)6.1%5.1–7.36.9%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year81.3%78–84.280.3%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year70.1%66.8–73.168%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years88.4%86.8–89.887.4%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)78.7%75.7–81.477.6%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)72.7%68.3–76.769%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)75.7%68.3–8276.9%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression27.3%23.6–31.325.7%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely31.2%26.5–36.332.4%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support21.2%18–24.623.1%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food12.3%10.3–14.515.4%15%Better
Worried about keeping housing9.4%8–1111.9%12%Better
Threatened with a utility shut-off6.9%5.9–88.7%7.6%Better
Lack reliable transportation6.9%6–7.98.3%7.9%Better
Received SNAP (food stamps)11.6%9.7–13.614.3%11.6%Lower
Disability
Any disability33.1%28.9–37.531.1%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs15%13–17.214%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering14.4%12.7–16.114.3%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty8.5%7.6–9.57.3%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty4.7%4.2–5.24.9%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone8.6%7.7–9.78.6%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.8%3.4–4.33.8%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 Otsego Lake Township

Is Otsego Lake Township a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Otsego Lake Township is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #376 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 Otsego Lake Township?

CDC estimates 37.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.8% and 45.6%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Otsego Lake Township?

Munson Healthcare Grayling Hospital in Grayling, 16.4 miles in a straight line from Otsego Lake Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

How many people in Otsego Lake Township have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 6.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7.3%), 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 Otsego Lake Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Otsego Lake Township.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.