Health · Rapid River

Rapid River, MI health

Rapid River differs from Michigan on 8 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing housing insecurity (10% vs 11.9%) and fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (7.5% vs 8.7%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (11.1% vs 8.9%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 49659, 49646, 49612, 49676
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Rapid River’s Health Grade: C+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Rapid River is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns.

C+Self-rated healthCPhysical distressB-Mental distressC+ObesityC+DiabetesCSmokingB-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 37%
Less healthyHealthier
Michigan towns we grade (1,267)Healthier than 48%
Towns with similar incomes, $54K–$90K (9,729)Healthier than 41%

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

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

40 of every 100 Rapid River adults have high blood pressure
Michigan: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 36.3–43.8%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Rapid River, betterRapid River, worseToo close to callMichigan
Get no exerciseshare of adults 25.5% Rapid River
MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 33.3% Rapid River
MI 34.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.4% Rapid River
MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 16.3% Rapid River
MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

81%
Yearly checkup
MI 80%
67%
Dentist visit
MI 68%
88%
Cholesterol check
MI 87%
71%
Colon screening
MI 69%
75%
Mammogram
MI 77%
80%
Taking BP meds
MI 78%
1 in 15
working-age adults has no health insurance
Rapid River 6.6% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How Rapid River adults are doing

1 in 3Rapid River adults feel lonely
30.9% · Michigan 32.4% · too close to call
1 in 4Rapid River adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.7% · Michigan 25.7% · too close to call
1 in 5Rapid River adults lack social or emotional support
22% · Michigan 23.1% · too close to call
1 in 6Rapid River adults are in frequent mental distress
17.4% · 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
Rapid River adults worry about having enough food
13.5% · MI 15.4% · about the same
1 in 10
Rapid River adults worry about keeping their housing
10% · MI 11.9% · better
1 in 13
Rapid River adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.5% · MI 8.7% · better
1 in 14
Rapid River adults lack reliable transportation
7.3% · MI 8.3% · about the same

13.2% of Rapid River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Disability

Living with a disability

33.8%

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

Walking or climbing stairs16.1%
Thinking or memory14.8%
Hearing9.2%
Errands alone9.1%
Vision5.1%
Dressing or bathing4.2%

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

Around Rapid River

Rapid River 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 Rapid River.

Coldsprings: 38.6% Custer: 37.6% Clearwater: 36.3% Kalkaska: 38% Blue Lake: 38.6% Excelsior: 38.6% Mancelona: 38.6% Helena: 35.6% Forest Home: 35.7% Kearney: 36.1% Milton: 35.8% Whitewater: 33.7% Boardman: 39.7% Orange: 38.9% Rapid River: 37.7% Rapid River Coldsprings Custer Clearwater Kalkaska Kalkaska Memorial Health Center · Kalkaska · 5.5 miH Bellaire Family Health Center · Bellaire · 10.3 mi+
33.7%39.7%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#8 of 15towns on this map, healthiest first
Clearwater36.3%
Custer37.6%
Rapid River37.7%
Kalkaska38%
Coldsprings38.6%
6 places to get careNearest ER 5.5 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 Rapid River

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

HNearest ERKalkaska Memorial Health CenterKalkaska · 5.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMunson Medical Center★★★★★ · 24.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careEast Jordan Family Health CenterBellaire · 10.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5.5 mi
Kalkaska Memorial Health Center
Kalkaska · not rated
ERRural critical access
10.3 mi
East Jordan Family Health Center
2 sites · nearest in Bellaire
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
22.3 mi
Traverse Health Clinic and Coalition
Traverse City · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
24.2 mi
Munson Healthcare Grayling Hospital
Grayling · ★★★★★
ER
24.2 mi
Munson Medical Center
Traverse City · ★★★★★
ER
28 mi
Munson Healthcare Otsego Memorial Hospital
Gaylord · ★★★★★
! Primary careRapid River's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Kalkaska County · need score 13 of 25
! Dental careRapid River's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Kalkaska County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthRapid River's county is a federal shortage area.North Country Catchment Area · need score 10 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 Rapid River. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Rapid River
MeasureRapid RiverMarginMichigan
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure40.1%36.3–43.8%36.7%about the same
High cholesterol38.8%34.9–42.6%35.4%about the same
Obesity37.7%30.7–44.7%36.2%about the same
Arthritis34.5%31.3–37.7%29.1%worse
Depression26.7%23.4–30.1%25.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)12.3%10.3–14.7%10.2%worse
Asthma11.5%10.4–12.7%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)11.1%10.2–12.1%8.9%worse
Diabetes13.1%11.5–14.7%11.9%about the same
COPD9.9%8.8–11.1%8.1%worse
Heart disease8.5%7.7–9.4%7%worse
Stroke4.1%3.8–4.5%3.7%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes16.3%14.2–18.7%14.6%about the same
Binge drink15.4%13–18%15.9%about the same
Get no exercise25.5%21.7–29.5%24.9%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours33.3%27.8–39.3%34.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup81%78.1–83.6%80.3%about the same
Dentist visit66.5%63.4–69.6%68%about the same
Cholesterol check88.2%86.7–89.5%87.4%about the same
Colon screening71%67–74.9%69%about the same
Mammogram75.4%68.8–81.2%76.9%about the same
Taking BP meds79.6%77.1–81.9%77.6%about the same
No health insurance6.6%5.5–7.8%6.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely30.9%26.5–35.7%32.4%about the same
Lack emotional support22%18.9–25.3%23.1%about the same
Frequent mental distress17.4%15.7–19.2%17.6%about the same
Fair or poor health20.5%18–23.1%19.4%about the same
Frequent physical distress15.6%13.9–17.3%14%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity13.5%11.5–15.8%15.4%about the same
Housing insecurity10%8.5–11.5%11.9%better
Utility shut-off threat7.5%6.5–8.5%8.7%better
No reliable transportation7.3%6.5–8.4%8.3%about the same
Receive SNAP13.2%11.2–15.3%14.3%
Disability
Any disability33.8%29.9–37.7%31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs16.1%14.2–18.2%14%
Thinking or memory14.8%13.2–16.5%14.3%
Hearing9.2%8.2–10.1%7.3%
Vision5.1%4.6–5.7%4.9%
Dressing or bathing4.2%3.8–4.6%3.8%
Errands alone9.1%8.1–10.2%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 Rapid River door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Michigan figure falls inside it, we don't call Rapid River better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Rapid River by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Rapid River 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