Photo: ShadZ01 · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, St. Joseph Township is healthier than 40%
St. Joseph Township differs from Michigan on 2 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 49085, 49022. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. Joseph Township
Against towns with similar incomes, St. Joseph Township’s lead shrinks
St. Joseph Township is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns, but 40% of the 9,300 towns with similar household incomes ($71K–$119K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Health varies a lot right around St. Joseph Township
Grades next door run from St. Joseph (A−) to Benton Harbor (D−). St. Joseph Township is a B. Around town ↓
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 St. Joseph Township’s likely range; St. Joseph Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 49085, 49022, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind St. Joseph Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Joseph Township is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns, #295 of 701 in Michigan. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 65% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). St. Joseph Township’s median household income is $94,926; among the 9,300 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$119K), it’s healthier than 40%, less than its income alone would suggest.
St. Joseph Township and the towns around it
St. Joseph Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph Township | B | 37% | 12.6% | 13.3% | ZIP codes |
| St. Joseph | A− | 33.7% | 9.8% | 10.7% | CDC place |
| Shoreham | — | — | — | — | |
| Fair Plain | — | — | — | — | |
| Benton Harbor | D− | 56.2% | 23.5% | 28% | CDC place |
| Royalton Township | A− | 34.3% | 10.8% | 10.9% | ZIP codes |
| Lincoln Township | A− | 34% | 10.8% | 11% | ZIP codes |
Shoreham: not graded. Fair Plain: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 St. Joseph Township adults…
St. Joseph Township runs above MI on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near St. Joseph Township
No hospital or community health center in St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Michigan
Share of adults, with the Michigan figure marked.
5.9 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of St. Joseph Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
How St. Joseph Township adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
1 in 3 St. Joseph 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.
15.1% of St. Joseph Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of St. Joseph Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. Joseph Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. Joseph Township is better than Michigan on 1 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside St. Joseph Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. Joseph Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.9%16.7–21.1 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.4–15.6 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.5–18.1 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37%31–43.5 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.6%11.1–14.3 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.1%34.3–42 | 36.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.6%31.8–39.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.1%28–34.5 | 29.1% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.3–12.9 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9.2–11 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.5–8 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8%7.1–8.9 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11%9.3–13.1 | 10.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%11.6–15.2 | 14.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.7%21.2–28.5 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.6–18 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.9%31.8–42.4 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.5%5.5–7.5 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.6%77.5–83.5 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69%66.3–71.9 | 68% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%87.5–90.2 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.4%75.7–81 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.2%68.1–76.2 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.8%72.9–84.3 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.7%21.5–28.4 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31%26.5–35.9 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%18.8–25.2 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.2%13.5–17 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.9%10.4–13.4 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.4%8.3–10.5 | 8.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.4%7.5–9.3 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.1%13.7–16.7 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.6%27.9–35.4 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.7%13.1–16.5 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%12.1–15.2 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.7–8.4 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.9–5.8 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.8–9.6 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.8–4.5 | 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 St. Joseph Township
Is St. Joseph Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Joseph Township is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #295 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 St. Joseph Township?
CDC estimates 37% of adults have obesity, likely between 31% and 43.5%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to St. Joseph Township?
Lakeland Hospital, St. Joseph in St. Joseph, 1.5 miles in a straight line from St. Joseph Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in St. Joseph Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–7.5%), 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 St. Joseph Township 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 St. Joseph 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.