Houghton County, MI is a rural area located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The county has a population of around 36,449 and contains two major cities – Houghton and Hancock. In Houghton County, residents have access to two local hospitals, Portage Health in Hancock and UP Health System-Portage in Houghton, as well as a variety of other local medical facilities. These medical facilities provide excellent care to all residents of Houghton County by offering diagnostic services, emergency services, preventive care, and more. With access to quality healthcare in the area, residents are able to receive the health care they need and live healthy lives. Additionally, health initiatives such as immunization efforts and educational programs are being implemented within the county to ensure that members of the community maintain good physical health. The county also works hard to maintain a healthy economy with various public-private partnerships that focus on economic development projects for local businesses. Overall, Houghton County provides its citizens with access to quality healthcare and resultant improved physical health while promoting economic growth within the community.
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 165 physicians per 100,000 population in Houghton County. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Houghton County area is 101.4 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
101.4 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Houghton County 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 Houghton County area is 42 (100=best). The US average is 87.
42 / 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 Houghton County commutes 15.7 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 Houghton County area is 89 (100=best). The US average is 58.
89 / 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.