Michigan Paper Company Mill Historic District · Photo: rossograph · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Plainwell is healthier than 70%
Plainwell trails Michigan on 2 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Plainwell. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Plainwell
What’s behind Plainwell’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Plainwell is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, #336 of 701 in Michigan. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 59% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 35%).
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). Plainwell’s median household income is $66,525; among the 10,144 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 70%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Plainwell adults…
Plainwell runs above MI on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Plainwell
No hospital or community health center in Plainwell 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 Plainwell; ≈ 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.
0.4 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Plainwell adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
How Plainwell adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
1 in 3 Plainwell 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.
12.9% of Plainwell adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Plainwell and the towns around it
Plainwell’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plainwell | B− | 35.7% | 11.5% | 14.8% | CDC place |
| Gun Plain Township | B | 35.7% | 11.2% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Otsego Township | B− | 35.9% | 11.4% | 15.7% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Plainwell adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Plainwell
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Plainwell is better than Michigan on 0 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Plainwell’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Plainwell | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.6%16–21.6 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.6–16.4 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.8–20.2 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.7%29.1–42.5 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%9.9–13.1 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.5%30.8–38.5 | 36.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.2%30.3–38.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2%27–33.4 | 29.1% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.3–13 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.7–10.6 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.2–7.9 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.5%7.3–9.8 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.2–4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.4%10.8–16.1 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.8%12.3–17.7 | 14.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.7%20.7–29.3 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15–21.3 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.3%26.9–37.8 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.3%5.1–7.7 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%76.2–82.8 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.6%61.1–67.8 | 68% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87%85.1–88.7 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77%74.1–79.7 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.5%66–74.5 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.6%70.4–83.6 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.1%23.3–31 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32%27–37.2 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.7%18.3–25.4 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.3%11–16.2 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.1%8.4–12.1 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.6%6.4–8.9 | 8.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.5%6.5–8.8 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.9%10.5–15.6 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.9%27.8–36.4 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%12.1–16.3 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%12.9–17 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.8–8.7 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.2–5.4 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.7–10.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.3–4.2 | 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 Plainwell
Is Plainwell a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Plainwell is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #336 of 701 in Michigan. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Plainwell?
CDC estimates 35.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.1% and 42.5%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Plainwell?
Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, 10.6 miles in a straight line from Plainwell’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Plainwell have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7.7%), 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 Plainwell 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 Plainwell.
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.