Health · Colon
Colon, MI health
Colon differs from Michigan on 8 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (16.8% vs 10.2%) and more adults with COPD (11% vs 8.1%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for ColonTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C−
Colon’s Health Grade: C−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Colon is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns.
C-Self-rated healthC-Physical distressDMental distressC+ObesityC+DiabetesDSmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 22%
Less healthyHealthier
Michigan towns we grade (1,267)Healthier than 21%
Towns with similar incomes, $44K–$73K (7,801)Healthier than 35%
About what its income would suggest. Colon does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Colon could be anywhere from D− to B.
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 Colon 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. Colon 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 Colon 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
37.4% have obesity
0 better7 close5 worse
Habits
27.5% get no exercise
0 better3 close1 worse
Care & screenings
78.1% had a checkup
0 better6 close1 worse
Mind & connection
34.5% feel lonely
0 better4 close1 worse
Everyday needs
16.6% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
37.3% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Colon adults…
38 of every 100 Colon adults have high blood pressure
Michigan: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 33.7–42.1%
Bars show Colon; the black tick is Michigan. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Colon, betterColon, worseToo close to callMichigan
Get no exerciseshare of adults
27.5% Colon
MI 24.9%
MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
33.5% Colon
MI 34.7%
MI 34.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults
16.2% Colon
MI 15.9%
MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
19.3% Colon
MI 14.6%
MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Colon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Michigan.
Yearly checkup
MI 80%Dentist visit
MI 68%Cholesterol check
MI 87%Colon screening
MI 69%Mammogram
MI 77%Taking BP meds
MI 78%1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Colon 9% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection
How Colon adults are doing
1 in 3Colon adults feel lonely
34.5% · Michigan 32.4% · too close to call
1 in 3Colon adults have been diagnosed with depression
28.8% · Michigan 25.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Colon adults lack social or emotional support
24.4% · Michigan 23.1% · too close to call
1 in 5Colon adults are in frequent mental distress
19.6% · Michigan 17.6% · too close to call
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 6
Colon adults worry about having enough food
16.6% · MI 15.4% · about the same
1 in 9
Colon adults worry about keeping their housing
11.5% · MI 11.9% · about the same
1 in 13
Colon adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.9% · MI 8.7% · about the same
1 in 12
Colon adults lack reliable transportation
8.5% · MI 8.3% · about the same
15.6% of Colon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.
Disability
Living with a disability
37.3%
of Colon adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs17.2%
Thinking or memory17.9%
Hearing9%
Errands alone10.6%
Vision5.6%
Dressing or bathing4.5%
Black tick: Michigan. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Colon
No hospital or community health center in Colon itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERSturgis HospitalSturgis · 12.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCovered Bridge Healthcare of St. Joseph CountyCentreville · 10.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
10.3 mi
Covered Bridge Healthcare of St. Joseph County
Centreville · community health center
22.2 mi
Bowen Health
2 sites · nearest in Lagrange
Bowen Center LagrangeLagrange · 22.2 mi
Bowen Center AngolaAngola · 26.6 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careColon's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, St. Joseph County · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careColon's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, St. Joseph County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthColon's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, St. Joseph County · need score 17 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 Colon. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Colon
| Measure | Colon | Margin | Michigan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 37.9% | 33.7–42.1% | 36.7% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 36.3% | 32.2–40.7% | 35.4% | about the same |
| Obesity | 37.4% | 29.9–45.2% | 36.2% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 32.6% | 29.2–36.2% | 29.1% | worse |
| Depression | 28.8% | 24.8–33% | 25.7% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 16.8% | 14–20.8% | 10.2% | worse |
| Asthma | 12.1% | 10.6–13.7% | 11.5% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.9% | 9–11% | 8.9% | worse |
| Diabetes | 12.8% | 10.9–14.8% | 11.9% | about the same |
| COPD | 11% | 9–13.2% | 8.1% | worse |
| Heart disease | 8.4% | 7.2–9.8% | 7% | worse |
| Stroke | 4.2% | 3.6–4.9% | 3.7% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.3% | 15.3–23% | 14.6% | worse |
| Binge drink | 16.2% | 13.4–19.5% | 15.9% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 27.5% | 22.2–33% | 24.9% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.5% | 28–40.8% | 34.7% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 78.1% | 74.6–81.6% | 80.3% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 67.4% | 64.4–71.2% | 68% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 84.7% | 82.1–87.2% | 87.4% | worse |
| Colon screening | 66.2% | 61.8–71.7% | 69% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 71.8% | 64.3–80.3% | 76.9% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 77.5% | 74.6–80.1% | 77.6% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 9% | 6.4–11.8% | 6.9% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 34.5% | 28.8–40.3% | 32.4% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 24.4% | 20.1–28.7% | 23.1% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 19.6% | 16.9–22.2% | 17.6% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 23.4% | 19.1–27.8% | 19.4% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 16.7% | 14.2–19.4% | 14% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 16.6% | 12.7–20.5% | 15.4% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 11.5% | 9–14% | 11.9% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 7.9% | 6.4–9.4% | 8.7% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 8.5% | 6.9–10.1% | 8.3% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 15.6% | 11.9–19.3% | 14.3% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.3% | 31.6–43% | 31.1% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 17.2% | 14.2–20.5% | 14% | |
| Thinking or memory | 17.9% | 14.8–20.9% | 14.3% | |
| Hearing | 9% | 7.8–10.3% | 7.3% | |
| Vision | 5.6% | 4.7–6.7% | 4.9% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.5% | 3.7–5.3% | 3.8% | |
| Errands alone | 10.6% | 8.7–12.5% | 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 Colon door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Michigan figure falls inside it, we don't call Colon better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Colon 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.