On CDC estimates, Wakefield is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns
Wakefield differs from Michigan on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wakefield. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wakefield
Heart disease, COPD and cancer run high in Wakefield
1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.5%), vs 7% across Michigan. 1 in 8 adults have COPD (11.8%), vs 8.1% across Michigan. Cancer is also above the state: 12.8%, vs 8.9% across Michigan. In all, Wakefield runs above Michigan on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and heart disease, COPD and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Wakefield, and more people treating it
44.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Michigan 36.7%), but 82.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
Wakefield is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Wakefield is healthier than 24%. Against the 7,661 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 44%. Health Grade ↓
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 Wakefield’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B.
What’s behind Wakefield’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wakefield is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 51% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Wakefield’s median household income is $55,759; among the 7,661 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 44%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Wakefield compares well: cholesterol check in 5 years, 89.6% (U.S. 87.1%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.5% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Wakefield adults…
Wakefield runs above MI on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Wakefield is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Wakefield as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Wakefield adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Care in and near Wakefield
No hospital or community health center in Wakefield 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 Wakefield; ≈ 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.
6.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Wakefield adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
3 in 10 Wakefield 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.
14.8% of Wakefield adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Wakefield and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefield | C− | 37.1% | 15.4% | 17.1% | CDC place |
| Wakefield Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Bessemer Township | C− | 37.1% | 15% | 17% | ZIP codes |
Wakefield Township: 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 Wakefield adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wakefield
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wakefield is better than Michigan on 2 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Wakefield’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wakefield | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.7%19.6–26.2 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15–19.4 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%14.9–19.1 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.1%28.9–45.8 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.4%13.3–17.7 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 44.9%40.1–49.5 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.9%37.4–46.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.9%34.9–42.9 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–12.9 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.8%11.6–14.2 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.8%10.2–13.6 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.4%12.5–18.6 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.1%14–20 | 14.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.2%24.1–34.8 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.9%11.4–16.8 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.4%25.8–39.1 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.1%4.8–7.6 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.2%80.2–86 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.3%63.5–70.7 | 68% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.6%88–91.1 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.5%79.9–84.9 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.8%64.7–74.6 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.9%67.8–82.5 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.3%22.5–30.4 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.4%25.5–36.4 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%17.6–25.2 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.2%11.6–17.3 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.8%8.1–11.9 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%6.7–9.4 | 8.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.5–8.8 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.8%12–17.9 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.6%32.7–42.4 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.4%16.7–22.3 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%12.8–16.8 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.2–6.8 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.3%8.9–11.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.3–5.6 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Wakefield
Is Wakefield a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wakefield is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 44%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wakefield?
CDC estimates 37.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.9% and 45.8%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wakefield?
Aspirus Ironwood Hospital in Ironwood, 8.2 miles in a straight line from Wakefield’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Wakefield have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.8–7.6%), 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 Wakefield 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 Wakefield.
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.