Health · West Traverse

West Traverse, MI health

West Traverse differs from Michigan on 19 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (8.4% vs 15.4%) and fewer adults facing housing insecurity (6.7% vs 11.9%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (13.4% vs 8.9%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP code 49740 (all of West Traverse)
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

West Traverse’s Health Grade: A−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, West Traverse is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns and 86% of Michigan towns.

A-Self-rated healthBPhysical distressAMental distressA-ObesityB-DiabetesA-SmokingA-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 75%
Less healthyHealthier
Michigan towns we grade (1,267)Healthier than 86%
Towns with similar incomes, $70K–$117K (8,658)Healthier than 72%

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

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

41 of every 100 West Traverse adults have high blood pressure
Michigan: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 36.4–45.8%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

West Traverse, betterWest Traverse, worseToo close to callMichigan
Get no exerciseshare of adults 21.3% West Traverse
MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 26.4% West Traverse
MI 34.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 14.2% West Traverse
MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.5% West Traverse
MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

84%
Yearly checkup
MI 80%
77%
Dentist visit
MI 68%
92%
Cholesterol check
MI 87%
77%
Colon screening
MI 69%
80%
Mammogram
MI 77%
82%
Taking BP meds
MI 78%
1 in 22
working-age adults has no health insurance
West Traverse 4.5% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How West Traverse adults are doing

1 in 4West Traverse adults feel lonely
28.3% · Michigan 32.4% · too close to call
1 in 4West Traverse adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.8% · Michigan 25.7% · too close to call
1 in 5West Traverse adults lack social or emotional support
18.8% · Michigan 23.1% · better
1 in 7West Traverse adults are in frequent mental distress
14.1% · Michigan 17.6% · better
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 12
West Traverse adults worry about having enough food
8.4% · MI 15.4% · better
1 in 15
West Traverse adults worry about keeping their housing
6.7% · MI 11.9% · better
1 in 20
West Traverse adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5% · MI 8.7% · better
1 in 20
West Traverse adults lack reliable transportation
5% · MI 8.3% · better

7.5% of West Traverse adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Disability

Living with a disability

30%

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

Walking or climbing stairs14.3%
Thinking or memory11.1%
Hearing9.2%
Errands alone7.1%
Vision4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.3%

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

Around West Traverse

West Traverse 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 West Traverse.

Harbor Springs: 30% Little Traverse: 32.6% Pleasantview: 33% Friendship: 31.8% Bear Creek: 32.1% Littlefield: 35.8% Maple River: 36.1% Center: 35.7% Readmond: 31.9% West Traverse: 31.8% West Traverse Harbor Springs Little Traverse Pleasantview Friendship Mclaren Northern Michigan · Petoskey · 6.3 mi · 3★ MedicareH Alcona Health Center Emmet County Site · Harbor Springs · 7 mi+
30%36.1%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#2 of 10towns on this map, healthiest first
Harbor Springs30%
West Traverse31.8%
Friendship31.8%
Little Traverse32.6%
Pleasantview33%

Care nearby

Mclaren Northern MichiganPetoskey · 6.3 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Charlevoix Area HospitalCharlevoix · 15.3 mi · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
Munson Healthcare Otsego Memorial HospitalGaylord · 33.7 mi · ★★★★★ DirectionsMedicare profile
Mackinac Straits Hospital and Health CenterSaint Ignace · 34.1 mi · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
Alcona Health Center Emmet County SiteHarbor Springs · 7 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
East Jordan Family Health CenterEast Jordan · 21.2 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
✓ Primary careWest Traverse is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careWest Traverse is not a shortage area
! Mental healthWest Traverse's county is a federal shortage area.North Country Catchment Area · need score 10 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 West Traverse. 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 West Traverse
MeasureWest TraverseMarginMichigan
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure41.2%36.4–45.8%36.7%about the same
High cholesterol40.8%36–45.7%35.4%worse
Obesity31.8%24.6–40%36.2%about the same
Arthritis35.6%31.7–39.8%29.1%worse
Depression23.8%20.2–27.7%25.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)8.4%6.8–10.3%10.2%about the same
Asthma10.8%9.5–12.2%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)13.4%12.1–14.7%8.9%worse
Diabetes12.5%10.8–14.6%11.9%about the same
COPD8.2%7.2–9.4%8.1%about the same
Heart disease8.4%7.5–9.5%7%worse
Stroke4%3.6–4.4%3.7%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.5%9.6–13.6%14.6%better
Binge drink14.2%11.6–17.2%15.9%about the same
Get no exercise21.3%17.5–25.6%24.9%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours26.4%21.1–32.1%34.7%better
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup84.2%81.3–86.9%80.3%better
Dentist visit76.5%73.8–79.2%68%better
Cholesterol check92%90.8–93.1%87.4%better
Colon screening77.3%73.2–81%69%better
Mammogram79.9%73.1–85.5%76.9%about the same
Taking BP meds82.2%79.3–84.9%77.6%better
No health insurance4.5%3.7–5.4%6.9%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely28.3%23.6–33.3%32.4%about the same
Lack emotional support18.8%15.8–22.3%23.1%better
Frequent mental distress14.1%12.4–15.9%17.6%better
Fair or poor health16.4%14.1–19%19.4%better
Frequent physical distress13.5%11.8–15.4%14%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity8.4%6.9–10.2%15.4%better
Housing insecurity6.7%5.5–8%11.9%better
Utility shut-off threat5%4.2–5.8%8.7%better
No reliable transportation5%4.3–5.8%8.3%better
Receive SNAP7.5%6.1–9.1%14.3%
Disability
Any disability30%25.9–34.6%31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs14.3%12.3–16.6%14%
Thinking or memory11.1%9.7–12.7%14.3%
Hearing9.2%8.1–10.3%7.3%
Vision4.1%3.6–4.5%4.9%
Dressing or bathing3.3%2.9–3.7%3.8%
Errands alone7.1%6.2–8.1%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 West Traverse door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Michigan figure falls inside it, we don't call West Traverse better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like West Traverse by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover West Traverse 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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West Traverse

Michigan · MI · Emmet County
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