Health · Shepherd

Shepherd, MI health

On every measure CDC estimates, Shepherd looks like Michigan as a whole: no difference is outside the margin of error.

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Shepherd

CHealth Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Shepherd’s Health Grade: C

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Shepherd is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns.

B-Self-rated healthC+Physical distressC-Mental distressDObesityB-DiabetesCSmokingB-Exercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 34%

Less healthyHealthier

Michigan towns we grade (1,267)Healthier than 43%

Towns with similar incomes, $53K–$88K (9,616)Healthier than 39%

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

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

38 of every 100 Shepherd adults have high blood pressure

Michigan: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 33.5–41.9%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Shepherd, betterShepherd, worseToo close to callMichigan

Get no exerciseshare of adults 25.4% Shepherd
MI 24.9%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 33.6% Shepherd
MI 34.7%

Binge drinkshare of adults 16.6% Shepherd
MI 15.9%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 16.4% Shepherd
MI 14.6%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

Yearly checkup

MI 80%

Dentist visit

MI 68%

Cholesterol check

MI 87%

Colon screening

MI 69%

Mammogram

MI 77%

Taking BP meds

MI 78%

1 in 15

working-age adults has no health insurance

Shepherd 6.5% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)

Mind & connection

How Shepherd adults are doing

1 in 3Shepherd adults feel lonely

33.5% · Michigan 32.4% · too close to call

1 in 3Shepherd adults have been diagnosed with depression

28.8% · Michigan 25.7% · too close to call

1 in 5Shepherd adults lack social or emotional support

21.6% · Michigan 23.1% · too close to call

1 in 5Shepherd adults are in frequent mental distress

18.8% · 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

Shepherd adults worry about having enough food

14.2% · MI 15.4% · about the same

1 in 9

Shepherd adults worry about keeping their housing

10.9% · MI 11.9% · about the same

1 in 12

Shepherd adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

8.2% · MI 8.7% · about the same

1 in 13

Shepherd adults lack reliable transportation

7.8% · MI 8.3% · about the same

14% of Shepherd adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Disability

Living with a disability

32.8%

of Shepherd adults live with a disability (Michigan 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.8%

Thinking or memory15.2%

Hearing7.9%

Errands alone8.9%

Vision4.8%

Dressing or bathing3.9%

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

Around Shepherd

Shepherd and the towns around it

Care nearby

Mclaren Central MichiganMount Pleasant · 6.2 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Mymichigan Medical Center AlmaAlma · 9.2 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Mymichigan Medical Center ClareClare · 20.9 mi · ★★★★★ Directions Medicare profile

Mymichigan Medical Center MidlandMidland · 24.1 mi · ★★★★★ Directions Medicare profile

Isabella Citizens for HealthMount Pleasant · 6.1 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Great Lake Bay Health Centers Integrated Care MidlandMidland · 26.5 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careShepherd's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Isabella County · need score 16 of 25

! Dental careShepherd's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Isabella County · need score 20 of 25

! Mental healthShepherd's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Central Michigan MHCA · need score 19 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 Shepherd. 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 Shepherd

Measure	Shepherd	Margin	Michigan
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	37.6%	33.5–41.9%	36.7%	about the same
High cholesterol	35.8%	31.6–40.1%	35.4%	about the same
Obesity	41.6%	34.1–49.3%	36.2%	about the same
Arthritis	31.6%	28.1–35.1%	29.1%	about the same
Depression	28.8%	24.8–32.9%	25.7%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	11.2%	9.3–14.1%	10.2%	about the same
Asthma	11.9%	10.4–13.4%	11.5%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	9.6%	8.5–10.6%	8.9%	about the same
Diabetes	12.1%	10.3–14.1%	11.9%	about the same
COPD	9%	7.5–10.7%	8.1%	about the same
Heart disease	7.2%	6.2–8.2%	7%	about the same
Stroke	3.6%	3.2–4.2%	3.7%	about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	16.4%	13.1–20%	14.6%	about the same
Binge drink	16.6%	13.7–19.9%	15.9%	about the same
Get no exercise	25.4%	20.7–30.5%	24.9%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	33.6%	28.7–40.9%	34.7%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	80.4%	76.9–83.5%	80.3%	about the same
Dentist visit	69.7%	66.7–73.2%	68%	about the same
Cholesterol check	87.1%	85–89%	87.4%	about the same
Colon screening	70%	66.1–74.8%	69%	about the same
Mammogram	70.6%	63.3–78.9%	76.9%	about the same
Taking BP meds	76.9%	73.6–79.7%	77.6%	about the same
No health insurance	6.5%	4.9–8.3%	6.9%	about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	33.5%	27.9–39.5%	32.4%	about the same
Lack emotional support	21.6%	17.7–25.9%	23.1%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	18.8%	16.3–21.3%	17.6%	about the same
Fair or poor health	19.5%	16.4–23.2%	19.4%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	15%	12.9–17.5%	14%	about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	14.2%	11–17.8%	15.4%	about the same
Housing insecurity	10.9%	8.7–13.4%	11.9%	about the same
Utility shut-off threat	8.2%	6.8–9.9%	8.7%	about the same
No reliable transportation	7.8%	6.4–9.3%	8.3%	about the same
Receive SNAP	14%	10.7–17.6%	14.3%
Disability
Any disability	32.8%	28–37.8%	31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs	14.8%	12.4–17.4%	14%
Thinking or memory	15.2%	12.9–17.8%	14.3%
Hearing	7.9%	6.9–9%	7.3%
Vision	4.8%	4.1–5.6%	4.9%
Dressing or bathing	3.9%	3.3–4.6%	3.8%
Errands alone	8.9%	7.6–10.5%	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 Shepherd door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Michigan figure falls inside it, we don't call Shepherd better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Shepherd 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.