Health · Pokagon

Pokagon, MI health

Pokagon differs from Michigan on 10 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (14.5% vs 10.2%) and more adults with COPD (10.1% vs 8.1%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 49047, 49120
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Pokagon’s Health Grade: C−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Pokagon is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns.

CSelf-rated healthC-Physical distressC-Mental distressC+ObesityCDiabetesC-SmokingCExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 24%
Less healthyHealthier
Michigan towns we grade (1,267)Healthier than 24%
Towns with similar incomes, $54K–$90K (9,729)Healthier than 21%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Pokagon 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 Pokagon 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. Pokagon’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 Pokagon 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 Pokagon adults…

39 of every 100 Pokagon adults have high blood pressure
Michigan: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 35–42.6%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Pokagon, betterPokagon, worseToo close to callMichigan
Get no exerciseshare of adults 28.6% Pokagon
MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 35.8% Pokagon
MI 34.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.1% Pokagon
MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 17.4% Pokagon
MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%
Yearly checkup
MI 80%
64%
Dentist visit
MI 68%
86%
Cholesterol check
MI 87%
68%
Colon screening
MI 69%
75%
Mammogram
MI 77%
78%
Taking BP meds
MI 78%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Pokagon 8.3% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How Pokagon adults are doing

1 in 3Pokagon adults feel lonely
33.1% · Michigan 32.4% · too close to call
1 in 4Pokagon adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.8% · Michigan 25.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Pokagon adults lack social or emotional support
23.8% · Michigan 23.1% · too close to call
1 in 5Pokagon adults are in frequent mental distress
19% · 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
Pokagon adults worry about having enough food
17.7% · MI 15.4% · about the same
1 in 8
Pokagon adults worry about keeping their housing
12.9% · MI 11.9% · about the same
1 in 10
Pokagon adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.6% · MI 8.7% · about the same
1 in 11
Pokagon adults lack reliable transportation
9.5% · MI 8.3% · about the same

17.4% of Pokagon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Disability

Living with a disability

36.2%

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

Walking or climbing stairs16.8%
Thinking or memory16.8%
Hearing8.9%
Errands alone10.4%
Vision6%
Dressing or bathing4.7%

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

Around Pokagon

Pokagon 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 Pokagon.

Dowagiac: 39.2% Howard: 38.3% Silver Creek: 37.3% LaGrange: 37.3% Berrien: 37.8% Wayne: 37.4% Niles: 40.5% Jefferson: 37.2% Milton: 38.5% Niles: 38.3% Keeler: 41.4% Pipestone: 38.8% Penn: 36.6% Oronoko: 36.4% Berrien Springs: 36.3% Pokagon: 37.5% Pokagon Dowagiac Howard Silver Creek LaGrange Berrien Ascension Borgess Lee Hospital · Dowagiac · 4.1 miH Cass Family Clinic Dowagiac · Dowagiac · 2.2 mi+ Intercare Eau Claire · Eau Claire · 7.7 mi+
36.3%41.4%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#8 of 16towns on this map, healthiest first
Silver Creek37.3%
LaGrange37.3%
Pokagon37.5%
Berrien37.8%
Howard38.3%
Dowagiac39.2%
6 places to get careNearest ER 4.1 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 Pokagon

1 community health center in Pokagon, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERAscension Borgess Lee HospitalDowagiac · 4.1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySaint Joseph Regional Medical Center★★★★★ · 17 miDirections →
+Low-cost careLakeland Immediate Care CenterDowagiac · 2.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.2 mi
Lakeland Immediate Care Center
4 sites · nearest in Dowagiac
Sliding-scale feesIn Pokagon
Directions to nearest
4.1 mi
Ascension Borgess Lee Hospital
Dowagiac · not rated
ERRural critical access
7.7 mi
Intercare Community Health Network
3 sites · nearest in Eau Claire
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
16.4 mi
Unity Physicians Hospital
Mishawaka · not rated
17 mi
Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center
Mishawaka · ★★★★★
ER
17.6 mi
Corewell Health Watervliet Hospital
Watervliet · not rated
ER
! Primary carePokagon's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Cass County · need score 16 of 25
! Dental carePokagon's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME-Cass County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthPokagon'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 Pokagon. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Pokagon
MeasurePokagonMarginMichigan
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure38.8%35–42.6%36.7%about the same
High cholesterol37.3%33.4–41.2%35.4%about the same
Obesity37.5%30.5–44.8%36.2%about the same
Arthritis32.4%29.3–35.5%29.1%worse
Depression27.8%24.2–31.5%25.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)14.5%12–17.1%10.2%worse
Asthma12.2%10.9–13.6%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.6%8.8–10.5%8.9%about the same
Diabetes13.4%11.9–15.2%11.9%about the same
COPD10.1%9.2–11.3%8.1%worse
Heart disease8.3%7.6–9.1%7%worse
Stroke4.3%4–4.7%3.7%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17.4%15.3–19.6%14.6%worse
Binge drink15.1%12.5–17.8%15.9%about the same
Get no exercise28.6%24.4–32.8%24.9%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours35.8%30–41.8%34.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79.8%76.6–82.8%80.3%about the same
Dentist visit63.5%60.2–66.7%68%worse
Cholesterol check86.1%84.5–87.7%87.4%about the same
Colon screening67.8%63.2–72%69%about the same
Mammogram74.9%67.7–81.1%76.9%about the same
Taking BP meds78.3%75.7–80.6%77.6%about the same
No health insurance8.3%7.2–9.5%6.9%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.1%27.8–38.6%32.4%about the same
Lack emotional support23.8%20.3–27.6%23.1%about the same
Frequent mental distress19%17–21.1%17.6%about the same
Fair or poor health22.7%20.1–25.4%19.4%worse
Frequent physical distress16.2%14.5–17.9%14%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity17.7%15.1–20.3%15.4%about the same
Housing insecurity12.9%11.1–14.8%11.9%about the same
Utility shut-off threat9.6%8.3–11%8.7%about the same
No reliable transportation9.5%8.3–10.6%8.3%about the same
Receive SNAP17.4%15.2–19.7%14.3%
Disability
Any disability36.2%32–40.3%31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs16.8%14.9–18.8%14%
Thinking or memory16.8%15.2–18.6%14.3%
Hearing8.9%8–9.8%7.3%
Vision6%5.5–6.5%4.9%
Dressing or bathing4.7%4.3–5.1%3.8%
Errands alone10.4%9.4–11.5%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 Pokagon door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Michigan figure falls inside it, we don't call Pokagon better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Pokagon by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Pokagon 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