On CDC estimates, West Traverse Township is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns
West Traverse Township differs from Michigan on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 49740. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Traverse Township
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in West Traverse Township
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (13.4%), vs 8.9% across Michigan. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (35.6%), vs 29.1% across Michigan. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.4%, vs 7% across Michigan. In all, West Traverse Township runs above Michigan on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 35% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
West Traverse Township keeps up with checkups
It beats Michigan on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.2% vs 80.3%) and dentist visits (76.5% vs 68%). Checkups ↓
Fewer West Traverse Township adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Michigan. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 West Traverse Township’s likely range; West Traverse Township’s figures come from ZIP code 49740, 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 West Traverse Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Traverse Township is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 89% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 44%).
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). West Traverse Township’s median household income is $93,929; among the 9,447 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($70K–$117K), it’s healthier than 72%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 West Traverse Township adults…
West Traverse Township runs above MI on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
West Traverse Township is an older town: 35% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in West Traverse Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of West Traverse Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.5% of West Traverse Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Care in and near West Traverse Township
No hospital or community health center in West Traverse 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 West Traverse 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.
21 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
How West Traverse Township adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, West Traverse Township does better than Michigan.
3 in 10 West Traverse 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.
West Traverse Township and the towns around it
West Traverse 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Traverse Township | A− | 31.8% | 12.5% | 11.5% | ZIP 49740 |
| Harbor Springs | A− | 30% | 12.9% | 10% | CDC place |
| Pleasantview Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Little Traverse Township | B+ | 32.6% | 12.3% | 12.4% | ZIP codes |
| Friendship Township | — | — | — | — |
Pleasantview Township and Friendship 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 West Traverse Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Traverse Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Traverse Township is better than Michigan on 15 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside West Traverse Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Traverse Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.4%14.1–19 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.8–15.4 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.4–15.9 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.8%24.6–40 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.8–14.6 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41.2%36.4–45.8 | 36.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.8%36–45.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 35.6%31.7–39.8 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–12.2 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.4%12.1–14.7 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.5–9.5 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.2%7.2–9.4 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4%3.6–4.4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.4%6.8–10.3 | 10.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.5%9.6–13.6 | 14.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.3%17.5–25.6 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.2%11.6–17.2 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.4%21.1–32.1 | 34.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.5%3.7–5.4 | 6.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.2%81.3–86.9 | 80.3% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 76.5%73.8–79.2 | 68% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92%90.8–93.1 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.2%79.3–84.9 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 77.3%73.2–81 | 69% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.9%73.1–85.5 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%20.2–27.7 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.3%23.6–33.3 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.8%15.8–22.3 | 23.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.4%6.9–10.2 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.7%5.5–8 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5%4.2–5.8 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5%4.3–5.8 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.5%6.1–9.1 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30%25.9–34.6 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.3%12.3–16.6 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.1%9.7–12.7 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%8.1–10.3 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.6–4.5 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 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 West Traverse Township
Is West Traverse Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Traverse Township is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 72%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in West Traverse Township?
CDC estimates 31.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.6% and 40%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Traverse Township?
Mclaren Northern Michigan in Petoskey, 6.3 miles in a straight line from West Traverse Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in West Traverse Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.7–5.4%), 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 West Traverse 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 West Traverse 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.