Berrien, Michigan is a small community with a population of about 5,000 people located in Berrien County near the south-western coast of Lake Michigan. It is an agricultural community with a large number of farms and is known for its vibrant downtown area. The medical facilities in the area are quite limited, however there are some local hospitals and medical facilities available to serve the residents of Berrien. The community takes pride in providing quality health care services to its citizens and has a number of supportive organizations that offer assistance for health related issues such as mental health counseling, drug abuse prevention programs, and other related services. The local hospitals provide primary care services including family practice, internal medicine, and pediatrics. There are also several specialized medical facilities in the area providing care for patients with chronic conditions or those requiring specialty care. Additionally, there are many mobile health clinics that make regular visits to the rural areas around Berrien providing basic medical treatment and preventative care services. This allows individuals living in remote locations access to much needed medical attention. Overall, while access to health care may be somewhat limited in this area due to its size and lack of larger hospitals, Berrien offers quality health care options for its residents.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 202 physicians per 100,000 population in Berrien. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Berrien area is 92.8 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
92.8 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Berrien area is 36 (100=best). The US average is 55.
36 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Berrien area is 68 (100=best). The US average is 87.
68 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Berrien commutes 23.1 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Berrien area is 82 (100=best). The US average is 58.
82 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.