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≈ B−Health Grade
Health in Otsego · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Otsego is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns

Otsego differs from Michigan on 4 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 2 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Otsego. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out

What stands out about health in Otsego

Health Grade

What’s behind Otsego’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Otsego is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, #340 of 701 in Michigan. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 75% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 20%).

BSelf-rated health18.6% · MI 19.4% · U.S. 19.4%
B−Physical distress14.2% · MI 14% · U.S. 13%
C−Mental distress18.9% · MI 17.6% · U.S. 15.9%
BObesity35.2% · MI 36.2% · U.S. 32.9%
A−Diabetes10.4% · MI 11.9% · U.S. 12%
C+Smoking15.8% smoke · MI 14.6% · U.S. 11.8%
BExercise24.8% · MI 24.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 51%
Less healthyHealthier
Michigan towns we grade (701)Healthier than 52%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $56K–$93K (10,843)Healthier than 59%

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’s median household income is $74,156; among the 10,843 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$93K), it’s healthier than 59%, about where its income would put it.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Otsego could be anywhere from C− to A−. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan

Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.

Get no exercise 24.8%MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 31.9%MI 34.7%
Binge drink 19.2%MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettes 15.8%MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Otsego, betterOtsego, worseAbout the sameMichigan
Where Otsego gets moving

0.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Otsego adults…

Otsego runs below MI on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

32 of every 100 Otsego adults have high blood pressure
Michigan: 37 in 100 · better · likely 28.5–35.9%
Better than MIWorseAbout the sameMichigan
Getting care

Care in and near Otsego

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

HNearest ERBeacon AlleganAllegan · 9.1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyBronson Lakeview Hospital★★★★★ · 19.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careFamily Health CenterKalamazoo · 12.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
9.1 mi
Beacon Allegan
Allegan · not rated
ERRural critical access
12.2 mi
Family Health Center
5 sites · nearest in Kalamazoo
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
12.7 mi
Borgess Medical Center
Kalamazoo · ★★★★★
ER
13.3 mi
Bronson Methodist Hospital
Kalamazoo · ★★★★★
ER
19.3 mi
Bronson Lakeview Hospital
Paw Paw · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
19.5 mi
Intercare Community Health Network
2 sites · nearest in Pullman
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Otsego itself
✓ Dental careOtsego is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthOtsego is not a shortage area

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; ≈ 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).

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

78%Yearly checkupMI 80%
68%Dentist visitMI 68%
85%Cholesterol checkMI 87%
68%Colon screeningMI 69%
79%MammogramMI 77%
74%Taking BP medsMI 78%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Otsego 7% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How Otsego adults are doing

About the same as Michigan on each measure.

1 in 3Otsego adults feel lonely
33.7% · MI 32.4% · About the same as MI
1 in 4Otsego adults lack social or emotional support
23.4% · MI 23.1% · About the same as MI
3 in 10Otsego adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.6% · MI 25.7% · About the same as MI
1 in 5Otsego adults are in frequent mental distress
18.9% · MI 17.6% · About the same as MI
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Otsego 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.

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 7
Otsego adults worry about having enough food
14% · MI 15.4%
About the same as MI
1 in 9
Otsego adults worry about keeping their housing
10.8% · MI 11.9%
About the same as MI
1 in 13
Otsego adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.6% · MI 8.7%
About the same as MI
1 in 13
Otsego adults lack reliable transportation
7.8% · MI 8.3%
About the same as MI

12.8% of Otsego adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Around town

Otsego and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
OtsegoB−35.2%10.4%15.8%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

31.6%

of Otsego adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs13.1%
Thinking or memory15.7%
Hearing7.1%
Errands alone8.8%
Vision4.6%
Dressing or bathing3.5%
Michigan

Every CDC estimate for Otsego

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

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Otsego is better than Michigan on 2 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Otsego’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…OtsegoMIU.S.vs MI
Overall health
Fair or poor health18.6%16–21.419.4%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)14.2%12.5–16.114%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)18.9%16.8–21.117.6%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity35.2%28.8–42.236.2%32.9%About the same
Diabetes10.4%9–1211.9%12%About the same
High blood pressure32.2%28.5–35.936.7%34.4%Better
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)32.6%28.8–36.635.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis27.8%24.8–30.829.1%25.3%About the same
Asthma11.6%10.3–1311.5%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer8.6%7.7–9.58.9%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease6.3%5.6–77%6.4%About the same
COPD8%7–9.28.1%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.3%2.9–3.63.7%3.4%Better
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)12.5%10.1–15.110.2%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15.8%13.4–18.514.6%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work24.8%20.7–29.124.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking19.2%16–22.615.9%15.4%Worse
Sleep under 7 hours31.9%26.5–37.434.7%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)7%5.6–8.76.9%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year77.9%74.3–81.280.3%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year68.3%64.9–71.468%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years85.4%83.3–87.687.4%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)74.4%71.3–77.377.6%76.5%Worse
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)67.9%63.2–72.169%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)78.9%72.4–84.576.9%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression27.6%23.9–31.525.7%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely33.7%28.5–38.832.4%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support23.4%19.8–27.223.1%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food14%11.3–16.815.4%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing10.8%8.8–12.611.9%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off7.6%6.4–8.98.7%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation7.8%6.6–98.3%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)12.8%10.2–15.314.3%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability31.6%27.5–3631.1%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs13.1%11.2–1514%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering15.7%13.8–17.914.3%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty7.1%6.3–7.97.3%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty4.6%4.1–5.14.9%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone8.8%7.8–108.6%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.5%3.1–43.8%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

Is Otsego a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Otsego is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #340 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 59%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Otsego?

CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.8% and 42.2%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Otsego?

Beacon Allegan in Allegan, 9.1 miles in a straight line from Otsego’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Otsego have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–8.7%), 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 Otsego 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 Otsego.

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.