Health · Rock River

Rock River, MI health

Rock River differs from Michigan on 8 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing housing insecurity (8.7% vs 11.9%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (11.5% vs 15.4%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (11.2% vs 8.9%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 49816, 49825, 49885, 49826
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Rock River’s Health Grade: B−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Rock River is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, and than 73% of towns with similar incomes.

BSelf-rated healthC+Physical distressBMental distressB-ObesityC+DiabetesC+SmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 51%
Less healthyHealthier
Michigan towns we grade (1,267)Healthier than 63%
Towns with similar incomes, $47K–$79K (8,791)Healthier than 73%

Better than its income would suggest. Rock River is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is B−.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Rock River could be anywhere from D 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 Rock 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. Rock 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 Rock 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 Rock River adults…

40 of every 100 Rock River adults have high blood pressure
Michigan: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 35.4–44.4%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Rock River, betterRock River, worseToo close to callMichigan
Get no exerciseshare of adults 23.5% Rock River
MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 31.9% Rock River
MI 34.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.7% Rock River
MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 15.4% Rock River
MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

82%
Yearly checkup
MI 80%
70%
Dentist visit
MI 68%
90%
Cholesterol check
MI 87%
72%
Colon screening
MI 69%
77%
Mammogram
MI 77%
80%
Taking BP meds
MI 78%
1 in 18
working-age adults has no health insurance
Rock River 5.5% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How Rock River adults are doing

1 in 3Rock River adults feel lonely
29.6% · Michigan 32.4% · too close to call
1 in 4Rock River adults have been diagnosed with depression
26% · Michigan 25.7% · too close to call
1 in 5Rock River adults lack social or emotional support
21.3% · Michigan 23.1% · too close to call
1 in 6Rock River adults are in frequent mental distress
16.4% · 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 9
Rock River adults worry about having enough food
11.5% · MI 15.4% · better
1 in 11
Rock River adults worry about keeping their housing
8.7% · MI 11.9% · better
1 in 15
Rock River adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.6% · MI 8.7% · better
1 in 16
Rock River adults lack reliable transportation
6.4% · MI 8.3% · better

10.8% of Rock River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Disability

Living with a disability

31.6%

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

Walking or climbing stairs15%
Thinking or memory13.4%
Hearing8.7%
Errands alone8.1%
Vision4.5%
Dressing or bathing3.8%

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

Around Rock River

Rock 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 Rock River.

Limestone: 36.1% Onota: 35.3% Skandia: 37.7% Au Train: 36.9% Mathias: 37.3% Maple Ridge: 39.7% Turin: 39.6% Chocolay: 37.1% West Branch: 37.5% Forsyth: 39.3% Munising: 37.6% Grand Island: 36.8% Munising: 35% Rock River: 36% Rock River Limestone Onota Skandia Au Train Munising Memorial Hospital · Munising · 18.5 miH Uphs Marquette Dlp Hospital · Marquette · 24 mi · 3★ MedicareH Sawyer Family Health Center · Gwinn · 17.4 mi+
35%39.7%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#3 of 14towns on this map, healthiest first
Onota35.3%
Rock River36%
Limestone36.1%
Au Train36.9%
Skandia37.7%

Care nearby

Munising Memorial HospitalMunising · 18.5 mi · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
Uphs Marquette Dlp HospitalMarquette · 24 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Bell HospitalIshpeming · 34.5 mi · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
Osf St. Francis Hospital and Medical GroupEscanaba · 41.8 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
Sawyer Family Health CenterGwinn · 17.4 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
✓ Primary careRock River is not a shortage area
! Dental careRock River's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Alger County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthRock River's county is a federal shortage area.Alger County · need score 12 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Rock River. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Rock River
MeasureRock RiverMarginMichigan
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure39.8%35.4–44.4%36.7%about the same
High cholesterol39.1%34.7–43.7%35.4%about the same
Obesity36%28.3–44.3%36.2%about the same
Arthritis34.4%30.6–38.3%29.1%worse
Depression26%22.3–30%25.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)9.4%7.5–11.4%10.2%about the same
Asthma11.3%10–12.7%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)11.2%10.1–12.4%8.9%worse
Diabetes12.9%11–14.9%11.9%about the same
COPD9.3%7.8–11%8.1%about the same
Heart disease8.3%7.3–9.5%7%worse
Stroke4%3.5–4.5%3.7%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15.4%12.5–18.6%14.6%about the same
Binge drink15.7%12.9–18.8%15.9%about the same
Get no exercise23.5%19.1–28.4%24.9%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours31.9%25.7–38.3%34.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup81.7%78.4–84.6%80.3%about the same
Dentist visit69.9%66.5–73%68%about the same
Cholesterol check89.8%88.1–91.3%87.4%better
Colon screening72.1%67.3–76.2%69%about the same
Mammogram76.7%69.1–83%76.9%about the same
Taking BP meds80.2%77.2–82.9%77.6%about the same
No health insurance5.5%4.3–7.1%6.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely29.6%24.6–35%32.4%about the same
Lack emotional support21.3%17.7–25.3%23.1%about the same
Frequent mental distress16.4%14.3–18.7%17.6%about the same
Fair or poor health18.8%15.8–22.2%19.4%about the same
Frequent physical distress14.9%12.8–17.1%14%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity11.5%9–14.3%15.4%better
Housing insecurity8.7%7.1–10.6%11.9%better
Utility shut-off threat6.6%5.4–7.8%8.7%better
No reliable transportation6.4%5.4–7.6%8.3%better
Receive SNAP10.8%8.4–13.5%14.3%
Disability
Any disability31.6%27–36.5%31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs15%12.5–17.6%14%
Thinking or memory13.4%11.4–15.5%14.3%
Hearing8.7%7.7–9.9%7.3%
Vision4.5%3.9–5.2%4.9%
Dressing or bathing3.8%3.3–4.5%3.8%
Errands alone8.1%6.9–9.4%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 Rock 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 Rock River better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Rock River by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Rock 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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Rock River

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