Navigation Structures at White Lake Harbor · Photo: US Army Corps of Engineers · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, White River Township is healthier than 17%
White River Township differs from Michigan on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 49437. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in White River Township
White River Township trails towns with similar incomes
White River Township is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns, and only 17% of the 7,110 towns with similar household incomes ($83K–$138K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Cancer runs high in White River Township
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 8.9% across Michigan. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Michigan 19%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer White River Township adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Michigan. 1 in 9 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 White River Township’s likely range; White River Township’s figures come from ZIP code 49437, 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 White River Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, White River Township is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 58% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). White River Township’s median household income is $110,179; among the 7,110 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($83K–$138K), it’s healthier than 17%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where White River Township compares well: dentist visit in the past year, 71.6% (U.S. 63.2%); worried about having enough food, 11.4% (U.S. 15%); worried about keeping housing, 9.1% (U.S. 12%).
Out of every 100 White River Township adults…
White River Township runs above MI on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
White River Township is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Michigan. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in White River Township as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.7% of White River Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Care in and near White River Township
No hospital or community health center in White River 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 White River 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.
1 mile of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of White River Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
How White River Township adults are doing
About the same as Michigan on each measure.
3 in 10 White River 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.
White River Township and the towns around it
White River Township has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White River Township · Montague Township | B− | 40.5% | 12% | 14.6% | ZIP 49437 |
| Fruitland Township | B− | 41.3% | 12.1% | 14.7% | ZIP codes |
| Claybanks Township | — | — | — | — |
White River Township and Montague Township share one ZIP estimate, so they share a row. Claybanks 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 White River Township adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for White River Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, White River Township is better than Michigan on 5 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Michigan figure falls inside White River Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | White River Township | MI | U.S. | vs MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.6%16.4–20.8 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.8–15.9 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15.1–18.5 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.5%35–46 | 36.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12%10.6–13.5 | 11.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.6%33.2–39.9 | 36.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.5%34–40.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.5%29.6–35.4 | 29.1% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.4–12.8 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.8–11.6 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.9–8.4 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.6%7.6–9.6 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.5%8.7–12.6 | 10.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.6%12.7–16.6 | 14.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.5%21.2–27.9 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%14.2–19.2 | 15.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.6%29.1–38.5 | 34.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%5.2–7 | 6.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.5%77.7–83 | 80.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.6%68.8–74.3 | 68% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.7%87.3–89.9 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79%76.4–81.3 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.8%68–75.3 | 69% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.4%71.4–82.7 | 76.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.1%23.9–30.3 | 25.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.2%26.3–34.3 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%18–23.7 | 23.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.4%9.9–13 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.1%7.9–10.5 | 11.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 8.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%5.8–7.4 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.7%9.2–12.4 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.6%28.2–35 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.5–16 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%12.2–15 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.4–9.1 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%4–4.9 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%7.3–9.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.3–4 | 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 White River Township
Is White River Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, White River Township is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in White River Township?
CDC estimates 40.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 35% and 46%, against 36.2% across Michigan and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to White River Township?
Mercy Health Lakeshore Campus in Shelby, 12.7 miles in a straight line from White River Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in White River Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–7%), 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 White River 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 White River 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.