Health · Baraga

Baraga, MI health

Baraga differs from Michigan on 18 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (5.9% vs 8.9%) and fewer adults with arthritis (24.9% vs 29.1%). Where it trails the state: more adults facing a utility shut-off (17% vs 8.7%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Baraga
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Baraga’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Baraga is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns, and than 43% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthCPhysical distressDMental distressD-ObesityC+DiabetesD-SmokingCExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 12%
Less healthyHealthier
Michigan towns we grade (1,267)Healthier than 6%
Towns with similar incomes, $33K–$54K (3,345)Healthier than 43%

Better than its income would suggest. Baraga is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is D.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Baraga could be anywhere from D− to C+.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Michigan ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Baraga with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Baraga uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Baraga compares with Michigan

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Baraga adults…

38 of every 100 Baraga adults have high blood pressure
Michigan: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 33.3–42.2%

Bars show Baraga; the black tick is Michigan. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Baraga, betterBaraga, worseToo close to callMichigan
Get no exerciseshare of adults 29.8% Baraga
MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 44.2% Baraga
MI 34.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 17.9% Baraga
MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 21.9% Baraga
MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Baraga adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.

76%
Yearly checkup
MI 80%
52%
Dentist visit
MI 68%
81%
Cholesterol check
MI 87%
59%
Colon screening
MI 69%
70%
Mammogram
MI 77%
69%
Taking BP meds
MI 78%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Baraga 10.7% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How Baraga adults are doing

1 in 3Baraga adults feel lonely
37.1% · Michigan 32.4% · too close to call
1 in 4Baraga adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.7% · Michigan 25.7% · too close to call
1 in 3Baraga adults lack social or emotional support
31.5% · Michigan 23.1% · worse
1 in 5Baraga adults are in frequent mental distress
21% · Michigan 17.6% · worse
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 4
Baraga adults worry about having enough food
28.3% · MI 15.4% · worse
1 in 5
Baraga adults worry about keeping their housing
21.9% · MI 11.9% · worse
1 in 6
Baraga adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
17% · MI 8.7% · worse
1 in 6
Baraga adults lack reliable transportation
15.4% · MI 8.3% · worse

27.5% of Baraga adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Disability

Living with a disability

37.5%

of Baraga adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.4%
Thinking or memory19%
Hearing7.5%
Errands alone11.1%
Vision7.2%
Dressing or bathing4.9%

Black tick: Michigan. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Baraga

No hospital or community health center in Baraga itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERBaraga County Memorial HospitalL' Anse · 4.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyUp Health System Portage★★★★★ · 25.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careUpper Great Lakes Family Health CenterHoughton · 23.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.5 mi
Baraga County Memorial Hospital
L' Anse · not rated
ERRural critical access
23.3 mi
Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center
8 sites · nearest in Houghton
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
25.4 mi
Up Health System Portage
Hancock · ★★★★★
ER
31.9 mi
Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital and Clinics
Laurium · not rated
ERRural critical access
43 mi
Bell Hospital
Ishpeming · not rated
ERRural critical access
! Primary careBaraga's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Baraga County · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careBaraga's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Baraga County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthBaraga's county is a federal shortage area.Baraga County · need score 12 of 25

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 Baraga. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Baraga
MeasureBaragaMarginMichigan
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure37.9%33.3–42.2%36.7%about the same
High cholesterol30.7%26.7–34.7%35.4%better
Obesity44.9%36–53.8%36.2%about the same
Arthritis24.9%22–27.8%29.1%better
Depression24.7%21.1–28.6%25.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)19.2%15.7–23.1%10.2%worse
Asthma12%10.7–13.5%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)5.9%5.4–6.6%8.9%better
Diabetes13.1%11.4–15%11.9%about the same
COPD8.8%7.8–10%8.1%about the same
Heart disease6.8%6.1–7.6%7%about the same
Stroke3.9%3.6–4.3%3.7%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes21.9%18.6–25.2%14.6%worse
Binge drink17.9%14.6–21.6%15.9%about the same
Get no exercise29.8%24.7–35.1%24.9%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours44.2%36.9–51.7%34.7%worse
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup76.3%72.3–80.3%80.3%about the same
Dentist visit52.3%48.5–56.2%68%worse
Cholesterol check80.7%77.7–83.7%87.4%worse
Colon screening59.3%54–64.3%69%worse
Mammogram70%61–78%76.9%about the same
Taking BP meds68.7%65.4–72%77.6%worse
No health insurance10.7%8.2–14%6.9%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely37.1%31.8–42.8%32.4%about the same
Lack emotional support31.5%27.3–36.2%23.1%worse
Frequent mental distress21%18.5–23.5%17.6%worse
Fair or poor health25.6%22.2–29.3%19.4%worse
Frequent physical distress15.7%13.9–17.8%14%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity28.3%23.5–33.7%15.4%worse
Housing insecurity21.9%18.2–25.9%11.9%worse
Utility shut-off threat17%14.4–19.7%8.7%worse
No reliable transportation15.4%13.1–18.1%8.3%worse
Receive SNAP27.5%22.5–32.9%14.3%
Disability
Any disability37.5%32.6–42.6%31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs15.4%13.4–17.6%14%
Thinking or memory19%16.5–21.5%14.3%
Hearing7.5%6.7–8.4%7.3%
Vision7.2%6.4–8.1%4.9%
Dressing or bathing4.9%4.4–5.6%3.8%
Errands alone11.1%9.7–12.5%8.6%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Baraga door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Michigan figure falls inside it, we don't call Baraga better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Baraga directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Michigan figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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