Health · Pentwater

Pentwater, MI health

Pentwater differs from Michigan on 20 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing housing insecurity (6.4% vs 11.9%) and fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (4.8% vs 8.7%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (15.8% vs 8.9%).

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

Pentwater’s Health Grade: B

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Pentwater is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns and 69% of Michigan towns.

BSelf-rated healthC+Physical distressAMental distressC+ObesityCDiabetesB+SmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 55%
Less healthyHealthier
Michigan towns we grade (1,267)Healthier than 69%
Towns with similar incomes, $66K–$110K (9,312)Healthier than 47%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Pentwater could be anywhere from C to A−.
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 Pentwater 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. Pentwater 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 Pentwater 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 Pentwater adults…

46 of every 100 Pentwater adults have high blood pressure
Michigan: 37 in 100 · worse · margin 41.2–51.2%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Pentwater, betterPentwater, worseToo close to callMichigan
Get no exerciseshare of adults 25.2% Pentwater
MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 26.5% Pentwater
MI 34.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 11.2% Pentwater
MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 12.1% Pentwater
MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

86%
Yearly checkup
MI 80%
75%
Dentist visit
MI 68%
93%
Cholesterol check
MI 87%
78%
Colon screening
MI 69%
77%
Mammogram
MI 77%
86%
Taking BP meds
MI 78%
1 in 19
working-age adults has no health insurance
Pentwater 5.3% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How Pentwater adults are doing

1 in 4Pentwater adults feel lonely
27.3% · Michigan 32.4% · too close to call
1 in 4Pentwater adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.2% · Michigan 25.7% · too close to call
1 in 5Pentwater adults lack social or emotional support
18.6% · Michigan 23.1% · better
1 in 8Pentwater adults are in frequent mental distress
13% · Michigan 17.6% · better
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 11
Pentwater adults worry about having enough food
9.3% · MI 15.4% · better
1 in 16
Pentwater adults worry about keeping their housing
6.4% · MI 11.9% · better
1 in 21
Pentwater adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.8% · MI 8.7% · better
1 in 20
Pentwater adults lack reliable transportation
5% · MI 8.3% · better

8.5% of Pentwater adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Disability

Living with a disability

34.9%

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

Walking or climbing stairs18.4%
Thinking or memory11.2%
Hearing11.5%
Errands alone8.1%
Vision4.9%
Dressing or bathing4.1%

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

Around Pentwater

Pentwater and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health.

Pentwater: 37.1% Weare: 38.9% Golden: 39.5% Summit: 39.4% Pentwater: 36.3% Pentwater Pentwater
36.3%39.5%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#1 of 5towns on this map, healthiest first
Pentwater36.3%
Pentwater37.1%
6 places to get careNearest ER 12.3 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 Pentwater

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

HNearest ERMercy Health Lakeshore CampusShelby · 12.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyCorewell Health Gerber Hospital★★★★★ · 32.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careNorthwest Michigan Health ServicesShelby · 12.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
12.3 mi
Mercy Health Lakeshore Campus
Shelby · not rated
ERRural critical access
12.4 mi
Northwest Michigan Health Services
2 sites · nearest in Shelby
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
14.3 mi
Corewell Health Ludington Hospital
Ludington · ★★★★★
ER
30 mi
Baldwin Family Health Care
4 sites · nearest in Baldwin
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
32.4 mi
Corewell Health Gerber Hospital
Fremont · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
34.9 mi
Munson Healthcare Manistee Hospital
Manistee · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary carePentwater's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Oceana County · need score 16 of 25
! Dental carePentwater's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Oceana County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthPentwater's county is a federal shortage area.Oceana 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 Pentwater. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Pentwater
MeasurePentwaterMarginMichigan
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure46.3%41.2–51.2%36.7%worse
High cholesterol44.8%39.6–49.4%35.4%worse
Obesity36.3%28–44.5%36.2%about the same
Arthritis42.3%37.8–46.7%29.1%worse
Depression23.2%19.7–26.9%25.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)8.8%7–10.9%10.2%about the same
Asthma10.8%9.5–12.1%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)15.8%14.1–17.3%8.9%worse
Diabetes15.1%12.7–17.6%11.9%worse
COPD10.5%8.1–13.1%8.1%about the same
Heart disease10.8%9.3–12.5%7%worse
Stroke5%4.2–6%3.7%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes12.1%8.8–15.3%14.6%about the same
Binge drink11.2%9–13.4%15.9%better
Get no exercise25.2%19.6–30.9%24.9%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours26.5%21.2–32.8%34.7%better
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup85.7%83.1–88%80.3%better
Dentist visit74.9%72–77.9%68%better
Cholesterol check93.4%92.2–94.4%87.4%better
Colon screening78.4%74.3–82.4%69%better
Mammogram77%69.6–83.7%76.9%about the same
Taking BP meds86%83.3–88.3%77.6%better
No health insurance5.3%3.8–6.9%6.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely27.3%22.4–32.8%32.4%about the same
Lack emotional support18.6%15.2–22.5%23.1%better
Frequent mental distress13%11.1–15%17.6%better
Fair or poor health19.5%15.5–23.8%19.4%about the same
Frequent physical distress15.7%13.1–18.4%14%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity9.3%6.8–12.3%15.4%better
Housing insecurity6.4%5–8.1%11.9%better
Utility shut-off threat4.8%3.8–5.8%8.7%better
No reliable transportation5%4.1–6.2%8.3%better
Receive SNAP8.5%6–11.4%14.3%
Disability
Any disability34.9%29.2–40.4%31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs18.4%14.7–22.3%14%
Thinking or memory11.2%9.1–13.5%14.3%
Hearing11.5%9.9–13.2%7.3%
Vision4.9%4–6%4.9%
Dressing or bathing4.1%3.2–5%3.8%
Errands alone8.1%6.5–9.9%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 Pentwater door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Michigan figure falls inside it, we don't call Pentwater better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Pentwater 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01