Health · Sterling

Sterling, MI health

Sterling differs from Michigan on 5 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (17.7% vs 10.2%) and more adults with COPD (10.3% vs 8.1%).

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

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 448 people are less certain, so we show Sterling's figures without a grade.

Report card

How Sterling 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 Sterling adults…

38 of every 100 Sterling adults have high blood pressure
Michigan: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 33.4–41.7%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Sterling, betterSterling, worseToo close to callMichigan
Get no exerciseshare of adults 27% Sterling
MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 31.9% Sterling
MI 34.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 17.1% Sterling
MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 17.4% Sterling
MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%
Yearly checkup
MI 80%
66%
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 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Sterling 7.2% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How Sterling adults are doing

1 in 3Sterling adults feel lonely
33.5% · Michigan 32.4% · too close to call
1 in 3Sterling adults have been diagnosed with depression
29.2% · Michigan 25.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Sterling adults lack social or emotional support
23% · Michigan 23.1% · too close to call
1 in 5Sterling adults are in frequent mental distress
19.7% · 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
Sterling adults worry about having enough food
15.5% · MI 15.4% · about the same
1 in 9
Sterling adults worry about keeping their housing
11.3% · MI 11.9% · about the same
1 in 12
Sterling adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.4% · MI 8.7% · about the same
1 in 12
Sterling adults lack reliable transportation
8.6% · MI 8.3% · about the same

15.1% of Sterling adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Disability

Living with a disability

36.2%

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

Walking or climbing stairs16.6%
Thinking or memory16.9%
Hearing8.6%
Errands alone10.3%
Vision5.5%
Dressing or bathing4.4%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Sterling

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

HNearest ERSaint Mary's Standish Community HospitalStandish · 4.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMymichigan Medical Center West Branch★★★★★ · 22.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSterling Area Health CenterSterling · 0.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.4 mi
Sterling Area Health Center
6 sites · nearest in Sterling
Sliding-scale feesIn Sterling
Directions to nearest
4.3 mi
Saint Mary's Standish Community Hospital
Standish · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
19.8 mi
Midmichigan Health Services
2 sites · nearest in West Branch
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
22.5 mi
Mymichigan Medical Center West Branch
West Branch · ★★★★★
ER
24 mi
Mymichigan Medical Center Gladwin
Gladwin · not rated
ERRural critical access
≈30.1 mi
Mymichigan Medical Center Midland
Midland · ★★★★★
! Primary careSterling's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Arenac/Ogemaw Counties · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careSterling's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Arenac County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthSterling's county is a federal shortage area.Bay/Arenac Counties · need score 8 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 Sterling. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Sterling
MeasureSterlingMarginMichigan
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure37.6%33.4–41.7%36.7%about the same
High cholesterol36.3%32.1–40.6%35.4%about the same
Obesity37.9%29.9–46.1%36.2%about the same
Arthritis32.9%29.4–36.3%29.1%worse
Depression29.2%25.1–33.4%25.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)17.7%14.2–21.4%10.2%worse
Asthma12.4%10.9–13.9%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10%9–11.1%8.9%worse
Diabetes12.4%10.7–14.3%11.9%about the same
COPD10.3%8.8–11.9%8.1%worse
Heart disease7.8%6.9–8.8%7%about the same
Stroke4.1%3.7–4.6%3.7%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17.4%14.4–20.7%14.6%about the same
Binge drink17.1%14.1–20.4%15.9%about the same
Get no exercise27%22.2–32.4%24.9%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours31.9%25.3–38.5%34.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79.2%75.6–82.4%80.3%about the same
Dentist visit66.2%62.5–69.7%68%about the same
Cholesterol check85.5%83–87.6%87.4%about the same
Colon screening67.7%62.5–72.4%69%about the same
Mammogram74.8%66.5–81.6%76.9%about the same
Taking BP meds77.7%74.8–80.2%77.6%about the same
No health insurance7.2%5.5–9.3%6.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.5%28.2–39.3%32.4%about the same
Lack emotional support23%19.3–27.1%23.1%about the same
Frequent mental distress19.7%17.3–22.2%17.6%about the same
Fair or poor health21.7%18.4–25.3%19.4%about the same
Frequent physical distress16.1%14.1–18.3%14%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity15.5%12.3–18.9%15.4%about the same
Housing insecurity11.3%9.3–13.5%11.9%about the same
Utility shut-off threat8.4%7.1–9.9%8.7%about the same
No reliable transportation8.6%7.2–10%8.3%about the same
Receive SNAP15.1%12.2–18.4%14.3%
Disability
Any disability36.2%31.4–41.3%31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs16.6%14.1–19.3%14%
Thinking or memory16.9%14.5–19.4%14.3%
Hearing8.6%7.6–9.7%7.3%
Vision5.5%4.8–6.4%4.9%
Dressing or bathing4.4%3.8–5.1%3.8%
Errands alone10.3%8.8–11.9%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 Sterling door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Michigan figure falls inside it, we don't call Sterling better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Sterling 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