On CDC estimates, Watersmeet Township is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns
Watersmeet Township differs from Michigan on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 49969. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Watersmeet Township
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Watersmeet Township
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (13.5%), vs 8.9% across Michigan. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.4%), vs 7% across Michigan. Arthritis is also above the state: 39%, vs 29.1% across Michigan. In all, Watersmeet Township runs above Michigan on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 45% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Watersmeet Township, and more people treating it
45.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Michigan 36.7%), but 83.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
The nearest ER is 23 miles from Watersmeet Township
The closest emergency room is Aspirus Eagle River Hospital in Eagle River, 22.5 miles away in a straight line. Getting care ↓
Watersmeet Township keeps up with checkups
It beats Michigan on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.6% vs 80.3%) and cholesterol checks (91.5% vs 87.4%). Checkups ↓
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 Watersmeet Township’s likely range; Watersmeet Township’s figures come from ZIP code 49969, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Watersmeet Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Watersmeet Township is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 77% of U.S. towns); diabetes 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). Watersmeet Township’s median household income is $72,708; among the 10,711 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$91K), it’s healthier than 44%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Watersmeet Township compares well: lost all teeth (ages 65+), 6.6% (U.S. 12.3%); no health insurance (ages 18–64), 5.5% (U.S. 11%); checkup in the past year, 84.6% (U.S. 77.4%).
Out of every 100 Watersmeet Township adults…
Watersmeet Township runs below MI on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Watersmeet Township is an older town: 45% 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 Watersmeet Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Watersmeet Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Care in and near Watersmeet Township
No hospital or community health center in Watersmeet 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 Watersmeet 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.
254 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
How Watersmeet Township adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Watersmeet Township does better than Michigan.
3 in 10 Watersmeet 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.
11.3% of Watersmeet Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Watersmeet Township and the towns around it
Watersmeet Township’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watersmeet Township | C+ | 35.6% | 15.7% | 15.2% | ZIP 49969 |
| Marenisco Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Stambaugh Township | C− | 39.7% | 15.4% | 17.7% | ZIP codes |
| Haight Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Interior Township | — | — | — | — |
Marenisco Township, Haight Township and Interior 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 Watersmeet Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Watersmeet Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Watersmeet Township is better than Michigan on 9 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside Watersmeet Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Watersmeet Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.9%17.6–24.2 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14–18.4 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.3–17.2 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.6%27.7–44.1 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.7%13.5–18.2 | 11.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.5%40.7–50.3 | 36.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.2%38.5–48 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 39%34.8–43.2 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.2–13 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.5%12.3–14.9 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.4%9.1–11.8 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.4%8.8–12.1 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.9%4.3–5.5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.6%5.2–8.2 | 10.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.2%12.6–18.1 | 14.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.3%21.4–31.5 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.2%10.8–16 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.9%25.6–38.6 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.5%4.5–6.7 | 6.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.6%81.8–87.2 | 80.3% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.1%66.6–73.4 | 68% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.5%90.3–92.6 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.5%80.7–85.9 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.9%69.2–78.3 | 69% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.3%68.6–82.9 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%20.2–27.6 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.9%25.2–36.2 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.8%18.5–26.1 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.2%11–15.9 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.4%8–11.2 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.1%6.1–8.3 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.3%6.3–8.5 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.3%9.3–13.8 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.6%30.5–40.7 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.9%15.1–20.7 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.9%11.1–14.6 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11%9.6–12.5 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.4–9.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.6–4.8 | 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 Watersmeet Township
Is Watersmeet Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Watersmeet Township is healthier than 40% 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 Watersmeet Township?
CDC estimates 35.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.7% and 44.1%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Watersmeet Township?
Aspirus Eagle River Hospital in Eagle River, 22.5 miles in a straight line from Watersmeet Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Watersmeet Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.5–6.7%), 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 Watersmeet 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 Watersmeet 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.