Richard and Mary Woodward Gregory House · Photo: rossograph · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Ross Township is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
Ross Township differs from Michigan on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 20 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 49012, 49060, 49083. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ross Township
Ross Township keeps up with checkups
It beats Michigan on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (75.7% vs 68%) and cholesterol checks (90.5% vs 87.4%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in Ross Township
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.8%), vs 8.9% across Michigan. Conditions ↓
Ross Township is an active town
Only 19.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.9% across Michigan. The town has 37 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
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 Ross Township’s likely range; Ross Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 49012, 49060, 49083, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Ross Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ross Township is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns, #84 of 701 in Michigan. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 89% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 55%.
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). Ross Township’s median household income is $103,932; among the 7,991 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($78K–$130K), it’s healthier than 77%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ross Township 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.
37 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Ross Township adults…
Ross Township runs below MI on 5 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Ross Township
No hospital or community health center in Ross Township 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 Ross 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).
How Ross Township adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Ross Township does better than Michigan.
3 in 10 Ross Township 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.
7.2% of Ross Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Ross Township and the towns around it
Ross Township has the best Health Grade of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Township | A− | 35.5% | 9.8% | 11% | ZIP codes |
| Charleston Township | B+ | 36.8% | 10.2% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
| Richland Township | A− | 36.1% | 9.7% | 11.5% | ZIP codes |
| Bedford Township | C− | 43.4% | 14% | 17.6% | ZIP codes |
| South Gull Lake | — | — | — | — | |
| Barry Township | B | 36.3% | 11.5% | 13.5% | ZIP codes |
| Augusta | — | — | — | — |
South Gull Lake: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Augusta: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ross Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ross Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ross Township is better than Michigan on 20 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Ross Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ross Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14%12.1–16.1 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.6–13.6 | 14% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.7–17.2 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%31.3–39.7 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.8%8.5–11.1 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33.6%30.7–36.5 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.5%34.5–40.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.3%26.7–31.9 | 29.1% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.8–12 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.8%9.9–11.7 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–7 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%5.7–7.5 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.9%6.3–9.6 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11%9.2–13.1 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.3%16.5–22.4 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.3%15–19.7 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.6%22.5–31 | 34.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.3%3.6–5.4 | 6.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.4%78.9–83.7 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.7%73–78.2 | 68% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.5%89.2–91.8 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%76.3–81.2 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.5%72.9–79.9 | 69% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.1%71.9–83.3 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27%24.2–29.8 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.8%27–34.8 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.4%16.7–22.4 | 23.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.4%6.8–9.9 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7%5.8–8.2 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5%4.3–5.9 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5%4.3–5.7 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.2%5.8–8.7 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.8%22.8–29 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.9%9.5–12.6 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.2%9.8–12.8 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%3–3.8 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Ross Township
Is Ross Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ross Township is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #84 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 77%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ross Township?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.3% and 39.7%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ross Township?
Bronson Battle Creek Hospital in Battle Creek, 9.6 miles in a straight line from Ross Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ross Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.6–5.4%), 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 Ross Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ross Township.
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.