Health · Penn

Penn, MI health

Penn differs from Michigan on 7 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (13% vs 10.2%) and more adults with COPD (9.9% vs 8.1%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 49031, 49095, 49067
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Penn’s Health Grade: C+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Penn is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns.

C+Self-rated healthCPhysical distressB-Mental distressB-ObesityCDiabetesCSmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 36%
Less healthyHealthier
Michigan towns we grade (1,267)Healthier than 46%
Towns with similar incomes, $63K–$105K (9,596)Healthier than 25%

About what its income would suggest. Penn does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Penn 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 Penn 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. Penn’s figures come from the ZIP codes that cover it, weighted by land area. 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 Penn 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 Penn adults…

41 of every 100 Penn adults have high blood pressure
Michigan: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 36.7–45.4%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Penn, betterPenn, worseToo close to callMichigan
Get no exerciseshare of adults 26.7% Penn
MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 35% Penn
MI 34.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 14.5% Penn
MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 16.2% Penn
MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

82%
Yearly checkup
MI 80%
67%
Dentist visit
MI 68%
89%
Cholesterol check
MI 87%
70%
Colon screening
MI 69%
77%
Mammogram
MI 77%
80%
Taking BP meds
MI 78%
1 in 15
working-age adults has no health insurance
Penn 6.7% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How Penn adults are doing

1 in 3Penn adults feel lonely
31.3% · Michigan 32.4% · too close to call
1 in 4Penn adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.1% · Michigan 25.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Penn adults lack social or emotional support
23.1% · Michigan 23.1% · too close to call
1 in 6Penn adults are in frequent mental distress
17.2% · 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 7
Penn adults worry about having enough food
14.6% · MI 15.4% · about the same
1 in 9
Penn adults worry about keeping their housing
10.9% · MI 11.9% · about the same
1 in 12
Penn adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.2% · MI 8.7% · about the same
1 in 13
Penn adults lack reliable transportation
7.8% · MI 8.3% · about the same

14.2% of Penn adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Disability

Living with a disability

34.2%

of Penn adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.5%
Thinking or memory14.7%
Hearing8.8%
Errands alone9.2%
Vision5.4%
Dressing or bathing4.4%

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

Around Penn

Penn and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Penn.

Newberg: 36.2% LaGrange: 37.3% Volinia: 37.8% Calvin: 37% Porter: 36.6% Fabius: 38.2% Marcellus: 36.4% Dowagiac: 39.2% Jefferson: 37.2% Pokagon: 37.5% Wayne: 37.4% Decatur: 38.9% Mason: 36.8% Penn: 36.6% Penn Newberg LaGrange Volinia Calvin Ascension Borgess Lee Hospital · Dowagiac · 10.2 miH Three Rivers Health · Three Rivers · 14.4 mi · 2★ MedicareH Cassopolis Family Clinic Annex · Cassopolis · 4.5 mi+
36.2%39.2%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#3 of 14towns on this map, healthiest first
Newberg36.2%
Penn36.6%
Calvin37%
LaGrange37.3%
Volinia37.8%
6 places to get careNearest ER 10.2 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Penn

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

HNearest ERAscension Borgess Lee HospitalDowagiac · 10.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyElkhart General Hospital★★★★★ · 14.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careLakeland Immediate Care CenterCassopolis · 4.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.5 mi
Lakeland Immediate Care Center
4 sites · nearest in Cassopolis
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
10.2 mi
Ascension Borgess Lee Hospital
Dowagiac · not rated
ERRural critical access
14.4 mi
Three Rivers Health
Three Rivers · ★★★★★
14.6 mi
Elkhart General Hospital
Elkhart · ★★★★★
ER
15.9 mi
Heart City Health Center
4 sites · nearest in Elkhart
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
19.9 mi
Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center
Mishawaka · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary carePenn's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Cass County · need score 16 of 25
! Dental carePenn's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME-Cass County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthPenn's county is a federal shortage area.Cass County · need score 14 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 Penn. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Penn
MeasurePennMarginMichigan
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure41.1%36.7–45.4%36.7%about the same
High cholesterol39.5%34.9–43.9%35.4%about the same
Obesity36.6%29–44.5%36.2%about the same
Arthritis34.3%30.6–38%29.1%worse
Depression26.1%22.4–30%25.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)13%10.6–15.6%10.2%worse
Asthma11.8%10.4–13.3%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10.6%9.6–11.6%8.9%worse
Diabetes13.9%12.1–15.9%11.9%worse
COPD9.9%8.7–11.2%8.1%worse
Heart disease8.5%7.6–9.5%7%worse
Stroke4.4%4–4.8%3.7%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes16.2%13.8–18.9%14.6%about the same
Binge drink14.5%11.8–17.4%15.9%about the same
Get no exercise26.7%22.3–31.5%24.9%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours35%28.6–41.7%34.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup81.5%78.2–84.5%80.3%about the same
Dentist visit67%63.5–70.2%68%about the same
Cholesterol check88.7%87.2–90.1%87.4%about the same
Colon screening69.8%65–74.3%69%about the same
Mammogram77%69.5–83.3%76.9%about the same
Taking BP meds80.3%77.4–82.9%77.6%about the same
No health insurance6.7%5.5–8%6.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely31.3%25.7–37.4%32.4%about the same
Lack emotional support23.1%19.3–27.3%23.1%about the same
Frequent mental distress17.2%15.2–19.3%17.6%about the same
Fair or poor health21.2%18.5–24.3%19.4%about the same
Frequent physical distress15.5%13.7–17.7%14%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity14.6%12.2–17.3%15.4%about the same
Housing insecurity10.9%9.1–12.8%11.9%about the same
Utility shut-off threat8.2%7–9.6%8.7%about the same
No reliable transportation7.8%6.8–9%8.3%about the same
Receive SNAP14.2%11.8–16.6%14.3%
Disability
Any disability34.2%29.7–38.9%31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs16.5%14.3–18.9%14%
Thinking or memory14.7%13–16.7%14.3%
Hearing8.8%7.8–9.8%7.3%
Vision5.4%4.9–6%4.9%
Dressing or bathing4.4%3.9–4.9%3.8%
Errands alone9.2%8.2–10.5%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 Penn door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Michigan figure falls inside it, we don't call Penn better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Penn by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Penn by how much of its land each one covers.

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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01