Health · White River

White River, MI health

White River differs from Michigan on 7 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (11.4% vs 15.4%) and fewer adults facing housing insecurity (9.1% vs 11.9%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (10.7% vs 8.9%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP code 49437 (all of White River)
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

White River’s Health Grade: B−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, White River is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns and 62% of Michigan towns.

BSelf-rated healthB-Physical distressBMental distressC-ObesityB-DiabetesB-SmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 49%
Less healthyHealthier
Michigan towns we grade (1,267)Healthier than 62%
Towns with similar incomes, $83K–$138K (6,727)Healthier than 17%

Wealth explains part of the grade. White River is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.

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

37 of every 100 White River adults have high blood pressure
Michigan: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 33.2–39.9%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

White River, betterWhite River, worseToo close to callMichigan
Get no exerciseshare of adults 24.5% White River
MI 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 33.6% White River
MI 34.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.6% White River
MI 15.9%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 14.6% White River
MI 14.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

81%
Yearly checkup
MI 80%
72%
Dentist visit
MI 68%
89%
Cholesterol check
MI 87%
72%
Colon screening
MI 69%
77%
Mammogram
MI 77%
79%
Taking BP meds
MI 78%
1 in 17
working-age adults has no health insurance
White River 6% · Michigan 1 in 14 (6.9%)
Mind & connection

How White River adults are doing

1 in 3White River adults feel lonely
30.2% · Michigan 32.4% · too close to call
1 in 4White River adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.1% · Michigan 25.7% · too close to call
1 in 5White River adults lack social or emotional support
20.6% · Michigan 23.1% · too close to call
1 in 6White River adults are in frequent mental distress
16.8% · 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 9
White River adults worry about having enough food
11.4% · MI 15.4% · better
1 in 11
White River adults worry about keeping their housing
9.1% · MI 11.9% · better
1 in 15
White River adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.7% · MI 8.7% · better
1 in 15
White River adults lack reliable transportation
6.6% · MI 8.3% · better

10.7% of White River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Michigan.

Disability

Living with a disability

31.6%

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

Walking or climbing stairs14.2%
Thinking or memory13.6%
Hearing8.3%
Errands alone8.2%
Vision4.5%
Dressing or bathing3.6%

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

Around White River

White 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 White River.

Fruitland: 41.3% Montague: 40.5% Claybanks: 40.7% Dalton: 42.1% Whitehall: 42% Laketon: 41.1% Grant: 41.3% Whitehall: 41.4% Montague: 40.1% Blue Lake: 42.8% Benona: 41% White River: 40.5% White River Fruitland Montague Claybanks Mercy Health Lakeshore Campus · Shelby · 12.7 miH Northwest Michigan Health Services · Shelby · 12.6 mi+
40.1%42.8%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#2 of 12towns on this map, healthiest first
White River40.5%
Montague40.5%
Claybanks40.7%
Fruitland41.3%
6 places to get careNearest ER 12.7 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near White River

No hospital or community health center in White River itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERMercy Health Lakeshore CampusShelby · 12.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyCorewell Health Gerber Hospital★★★★★ · 23.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careNorthwest Michigan Health ServicesShelby · 12.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
12.6 mi
Northwest Michigan Health Services
Shelby · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
12.7 mi
Mercy Health Lakeshore Campus
Shelby · not rated
ERRural critical access
16.3 mi
Hackley Community Care Center
4 sites · nearest in Muskegon
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
18.8 mi
Trinity Health Muskegon Hospital
Muskegon · ★★★★★
ER
23.7 mi
Corewell Health Gerber Hospital
Fremont · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
27.9 mi
Trinity Health Grand Haven Hospital
Grand Haven · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careWhite River's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Muskegon County · need score 14 of 25
✓ Dental careWhite River is not a shortage area
! Mental healthWhite River's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Muskegon County · need score 16 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 White River. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for White River
MeasureWhite RiverMarginMichigan
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure36.6%33.2–39.9%36.7%about the same
High cholesterol37.5%34–40.9%35.4%about the same
Obesity40.5%35–46%36.2%about the same
Arthritis32.5%29.6–35.4%29.1%worse
Depression27.1%23.9–30.3%25.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)10.5%8.7–12.6%10.2%about the same
Asthma11.5%10.4–12.8%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10.7%9.8–11.6%8.9%worse
Diabetes12%10.6–13.5%11.9%about the same
COPD8.6%7.6–9.6%8.1%about the same
Heart disease7.6%6.9–8.4%7%about the same
Stroke3.7%3.4–4%3.7%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes14.6%12.7–16.6%14.6%about the same
Binge drink16.6%14.2–19.2%15.9%about the same
Get no exercise24.5%21.2–27.9%24.9%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours33.6%29.1–38.5%34.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup80.5%77.7–83%80.3%about the same
Dentist visit71.6%68.8–74.3%68%better
Cholesterol check88.7%87.3–89.9%87.4%about the same
Colon screening71.8%68–75.3%69%about the same
Mammogram77.4%71.4–82.7%76.9%about the same
Taking BP meds79%76.4–81.3%77.6%about the same
No health insurance6%5.2–7%6.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely30.2%26.3–34.3%32.4%about the same
Lack emotional support20.6%18–23.7%23.1%about the same
Frequent mental distress16.8%15.1–18.5%17.6%about the same
Fair or poor health18.6%16.4–20.8%19.4%about the same
Frequent physical distress14.3%12.8–15.9%14%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity11.4%9.9–13%15.4%better
Housing insecurity9.1%7.9–10.5%11.9%better
Utility shut-off threat6.7%5.9–7.6%8.7%better
No reliable transportation6.6%5.8–7.4%8.3%better
Receive SNAP10.7%9.2–12.4%14.3%
Disability
Any disability31.6%28.2–35%31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs14.2%12.5–16%14%
Thinking or memory13.6%12.2–15%14.3%
Hearing8.3%7.4–9.1%7.3%
Vision4.5%4–4.9%4.9%
Dressing or bathing3.6%3.3–4%3.8%
Errands alone8.2%7.3–9.1%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 White 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 White River better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like White River by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover White 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01