Health · Union

Union, MI health

Union differs from Michigan on 17 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (6.8% vs 8.9%) and fewer adults who have had a stroke (3% vs 3.7%). Where it trails the state: more adults without reliable transportation (12.1% vs 8.3%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP code 48858 (all of Union)

C+Health Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

C⁺

Union’s Health Grade: C+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Union is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns, and than 85% of towns with similar incomes.

C+Self-rated healthB-Physical distressD-Mental distressC-ObesityA-DiabetesC+SmokingB-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, $33K–$55K (3,345)Healthier than 85%

Better than its income would suggest. Union is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C+.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Union could be anywhere from C− 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 Union 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. Union’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 Union 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 Union adults…

32 of every 100 Union adults have high blood pressure

Michigan: 37 in 100 · better · margin 28.2–35.5%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Union, betterUnion, worseToo close to callMichigan

Get no exerciseshare of adults 26% Union
MI 24.9%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 35.4% Union
MI 34.7%

Binge drinkshare of adults 17.6% Union
MI 15.9%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 16% Union
MI 14.6%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Union 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 13

working-age adults has no health insurance

Union 7.9% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)

Mind & connection

How Union adults are doing

1 in 3Union adults feel lonely

37.5% · Michigan 32.4% · too close to call

1 in 3Union adults have been diagnosed with depression

30.7% · Michigan 25.7% · worse

1 in 4Union adults lack social or emotional support

23.2% · Michigan 23.1% · too close to call

1 in 5Union adults are in frequent mental distress

22.2% · Michigan 17.6% · worse

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 5

Union adults worry about having enough food

20.5% · MI 15.4% · worse

1 in 7

Union adults worry about keeping their housing

14.2% · MI 11.9% · worse

1 in 9

Union adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

11.2% · MI 8.7% · worse

1 in 8

Union adults lack reliable transportation

12.1% · MI 8.3% · worse

20.6% of Union adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Disability

Living with a disability

35.1%

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

Walking or climbing stairs12.8%

Thinking or memory19.2%

Hearing6.9%

Errands alone11%

Vision5.8%

Dressing or bathing3.9%

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

Around Union

Union 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 Union.

38.3%41.1%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#4 of 13towns on this map, healthiest first

Union40.2%

Deerfield40.2%

Chippewa40.2%

Lincoln40.3%

Isabella40.9%

Care in and near Union

1 community health center in Union, plus the nearest outside it. Nearest first.

Mclaren Central MichiganMount Pleasant · 3.2 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Mymichigan Medical Center AlmaAlma · 14.8 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Mymichigan Medical Center ClareClare · 17.1 mi · ★★★★★ Directions Medicare profile

University of Michigan Health-Sparrow CarsonCarson City · 27.6 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Women's Health Center of Isabella Citizens for HealthMount Pleasant · 3.2 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Midmichigan Medical Offices - BeavertonBeaverton · 26.6 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

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

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

! Mental healthUnion'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 Union. 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 Union

Measure	Union	Margin	Michigan
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	31.8%	28.2–35.5%	36.7%	better
High cholesterol	30.5%	26.8–34.1%	35.4%	better
Obesity	40.2%	32.9–47.7%	36.2%	about the same
Arthritis	24.3%	21.6–27.1%	29.1%	better
Depression	30.7%	26.7–34.8%	25.7%	worse
Lost all teeth (65+)	14.8%	12.5–18.1%	10.2%	worse
Asthma	12.4%	11–13.9%	11.5%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	6.8%	6.2–7.5%	8.9%	better
Diabetes	9.9%	8.7–11.3%	11.9%	better
COPD	7.9%	7.1–8.7%	8.1%	about the same
Heart disease	5.8%	5.2–6.3%	7%	better
Stroke	3%	2.8–3.2%	3.7%	better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	16%	14–18.1%	14.6%	about the same
Binge drink	17.6%	14.5–21%	15.9%	about the same
Get no exercise	26%	22–30.1%	24.9%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	35.4%	30.4–42.8%	34.7%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	77.5%	73.8–80.9%	80.3%	about the same
Dentist visit	61.8%	58.6–65.5%	68%	worse
Cholesterol check	79.5%	77.2–81.7%	87.4%	worse
Colon screening	67.1%	63–72.3%	69%	about the same
Mammogram	74.6%	68.4–82%	76.9%	about the same
Taking BP meds	69.4%	66.7–71.9%	77.6%	worse
No health insurance	7.9%	6.7–9.3%	6.9%	about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	37.5%	31.8–43.6%	32.4%	about the same
Lack emotional support	23.2%	19.4–27.3%	23.1%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	22.2%	19.8–24.5%	17.6%	worse
Fair or poor health	20.8%	18.3–23.3%	19.4%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	14.3%	12.6–15.9%	14%	about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	20.5%	17.6–23.6%	15.4%	worse
Housing insecurity	14.2%	12.1–16.5%	11.9%	worse
Utility shut-off threat	11.2%	9.6–12.8%	8.7%	worse
No reliable transportation	12.1%	10.6–13.7%	8.3%	worse
Receive SNAP	20.6%	17.9–23.5%	14.3%
Disability
Any disability	35.1%	30.8–39.3%	31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs	12.8%	11.2–14.4%	14%
Thinking or memory	19.2%	17.2–21.1%	14.3%
Hearing	6.9%	6.1–7.6%	7.3%
Vision	5.8%	5.3–6.3%	4.9%
Dressing or bathing	3.9%	3.5–4.2%	3.8%
Errands alone	11%	9.9–12.1%	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 Union door to door.

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

Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Union by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Union 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.