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≈ C+Health Grade
Health in Soo Township · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Soo Township is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns

Soo Township trails Michigan on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 49783, 49710. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out

What stands out about health in Soo Township

Health Grade

What’s behind Soo Township’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Soo Township is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns, #423 of 701 in Michigan. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 65% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 23%).

C+Self-rated health20.7% · MI 19.4% · U.S. 19.4%
C−Physical distress15.9% · MI 14% · U.S. 13%
C+Mental distress17.6% · MI 17.6% · U.S. 15.9%
BObesity34.1% · MI 36.2% · U.S. 32.9%
CDiabetes13.5% · MI 11.9% · U.S. 12%
C+Smoking15.9% smoke · MI 14.6% · U.S. 11.8%
B−Exercise26% · MI 24.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 39%
Less healthyHealthier
Michigan towns we grade (701)Healthier than 40%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $59K–$99K (10,792)Healthier than 34%

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). Soo Township’s median household income is $79,107; among the 10,792 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$99K), it’s healthier than 34%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Soo Township could be anywhere from D to B+. The letter shows with “≈”. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 49783,49710), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Soo Township adults…

Soo Township runs above MI on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

9 of every 100 Soo Township adults have heart disease
Michigan: 7 in 100 · worse · likely 7.9–10%
Better than MIWorseAbout the sameMichigan
Getting care

Care in and near Soo Township

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

HNearest ERChippewa County War Memorial HospitalSault Ste Marie · 17.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyChippewa County War Memorial Hospital★★★★★ · 17.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careAlcona Citizens for HealthPickford · 12.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
12.2 mi
Alcona Citizens for Health
3 sites · nearest in Pickford
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
17.3 mi
Bay Mills Indian Community
5 sites · nearest in Sault Sainte Marie
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
17.4 mi
Chippewa County War Memorial Hospital
Sault Ste Marie · ★★★★★
ER
37.5 mi
Mackinac Straits Hospital and Health Center
Saint Ignace · not rated
ERRural critical access
64.1 mi
Helen Newberry Joy Hospital
Newberry · not rated
ERRural critical access
73.1 mi
Mclaren Northern Michigan
Petoskey · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Soo Township itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Soo Township itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Soo 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 Soo 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 26%MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 32%MI 34.7%
Binge drink 14.7%MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettes 15.9%MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Soo Township, betterSoo Township, worseAbout the sameMichigan
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

82%Yearly checkupMI 80%
68%Dentist visitMI 68%
89%Cholesterol checkMI 87%
72%Colon screeningMI 69%
77%MammogramMI 77%
80%Taking BP medsMI 78%
1 in 16
working-age adults has no health insurance
Soo Township 6.4% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How Soo Township adults are doing

About the same as Michigan on each measure.

1 in 3Soo Township adults feel lonely
31.9% · MI 32.4% · About the same as MI
1 in 5Soo Township adults lack social or emotional support
22.2% · MI 23.1% · About the same as MI
1 in 4Soo Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.4% · MI 25.7% · About the same as MI
1 in 6Soo Township adults are in frequent mental distress
17.6% · MI 17.6% · About the same as MI
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Soo 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.

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
Soo Township adults worry about having enough food
14.4% · MI 15.4%
About the same as MI
1 in 9
Soo Township adults worry about keeping their housing
10.6% · MI 11.9%
About the same as MI
1 in 13
Soo Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.9% · MI 8.7%
About the same as MI
1 in 12
Soo Township adults lack reliable transportation
8.1% · MI 8.3%
About the same as MI

13.4% of Soo Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Around town

Soo Township and the towns around it

Soo Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 6 graded towns around it.

Raber Township: 34.4%Bruce Township: 34.3%Sugar Island Township: 34.7%Sault Ste. Marie: 35%Bay Mills Township: 36.1%Pickford Township: 37.3%Dafter Township: 34.4%Detour Township: 34.1%Clark Township: 38%Superior Township: 36.6%Chippewa Township: 33.8%Whitefish Township: 34.2%Kinross Township: 35.2%Marquette Township: 39%Rudyard Township: 34.2%Soo Township: 34.1%Soo TownshipRaber TownshipBruce TownshipSugar Island TownshipSault Ste. MarieBay Mills TownshipPickford TownshipDafter TownshipChippewa County War Memorial Hospital · Sault Ste Marie · 17.4 mi · 2★ MedicareHAlcona Health Center Pickford Medical Clinic · Pickford · 12.2 mi+Mitigoons · Sault Sainte Marie · 17.3 mi+
Healthier than MINear MILess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#2 of 16 towns on this map, healthiest first
Soo Township34.1%
Bruce Township34.3%
Raber Township34.4%
Dafter Township34.4%
Sugar Island Township34.7%
Sault Ste. Marie35%
Bay Mills Township36.1%
Pickford Township37.3%
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
Soo TownshipC+34.1%13.5%15.9%ZIP codes
Raber Township————
Bruce TownshipC+34.3%12.6%16.1%ZIP codes
Sugar Island Township————
Sault Ste. MarieC35%11.9%17.7%CDC place
Bay Mills TownshipC−36.1%14.4%18.4%ZIP codes
Dafter TownshipC+34.4%12.5%16.7%ZIP codes
Pickford TownshipB−37.3%12.3%16.6%ZIP codes

Raber Township and Sugar Island 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.

35.3%

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

Walking or climbing stairs16.7%
Thinking or memory14.9%
Hearing9.6%
Errands alone9.3%
Vision5.4%
Dressing or bathing4.1%
Michigan

Every CDC estimate for Soo Township

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

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Soo Township is better than Michigan on 0 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Soo Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…Soo TownshipMIU.S.vs MI
Overall health
Fair or poor health20.7%17.8–23.919.4%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)15.9%13.9–18.114%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)17.6%15.6–19.817.6%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity34.1%26.9–41.836.2%32.9%About the same
Diabetes13.5%11.6–15.511.9%12%About the same
High blood pressure41.7%37.2–46.136.7%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)39.4%35–43.935.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis35.1%31.4–38.929.1%25.3%Worse
Asthma12%10.6–13.611.5%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer11.3%10.3–12.58.9%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease8.9%7.9–107%6.4%Worse
COPD9.8%8.5–11.38.1%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.4%3.9–4.93.7%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)11.4%9.2–13.810.2%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15.9%13.4–18.714.6%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work26%21.6–30.824.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking14.7%12.1–17.615.9%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours32%26.2–38.534.7%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)6.4%5.2–7.86.9%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year82%78.7–84.880.3%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year68.2%64.8–71.568%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years88.5%86.7–9087.4%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)79.9%77.2–82.577.6%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)71.5%66.9–75.969%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)76.7%69.3–83.176.9%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression26.4%22.7–30.525.7%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely31.9%26.8–37.132.4%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support22.2%18.7–25.823.1%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food14.4%12.1–1715.4%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing10.6%9–12.411.9%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off7.9%6.8–9.28.7%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation8.1%7–9.38.3%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)13.4%11.3–15.814.3%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability35.3%30.7–40.131.1%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs16.7%14.4–19.414%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering14.9%13–16.914.3%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty9.6%8.6–10.97.3%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty5.4%4.8–64.9%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone9.3%8.2–10.68.6%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing4.1%3.7–4.73.8%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 Soo Township

Is Soo Township a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Soo Township is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #423 of 701 in Michigan. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 34%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Soo Township?

CDC estimates 34.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.9% and 41.8%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Soo Township?

Chippewa County War Memorial Hospital in Sault Ste Marie, 17.4 miles in a straight line from Soo Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

How many people in Soo Township have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 6.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–7.8%), 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 Soo Township 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 Soo 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.