Tawas City’s healthcare picture combines local coverage and population data with broader Iosco County measures. In 2024, the city had 1,614 residents, 95.4% had health coverage, and 4.64% were uninsured. County-level measures show both lower-than-state rates for several conditions and substantial challenges involving mortality, behavioral health, prenatal care, and healthcare workforce capacity.
Contents
- Tawas City population and coverage
- Economic and social conditions
- Major health outcomes
- Maternal, child, and preventive health
- Healthcare access and workforce
- Local hospitals and long-term care
Tawas City population and coverage
Data USA reported 1,614 Tawas City residents in 2024, with a median age of 47.1. The city had 674 households, a 76.9% homeownership rate, and a median household income of $46,014. These figures describe the city itself, while many health-status measures below describe Iosco County and therefore should not be read as city-only estimates.
Health coverage reached 95.4% of Tawas City residents in 2024. The reported coverage mix included 38.5% with employer coverage, 16.3% with Medicaid, 19.6% with Medicare, 18.3% with non-group coverage, and 2.59% with military or VA coverage. The categories can overlap in the way coverage reporting is presented, so they are best read as coverage types rather than added together as independent populations.
Uninsured residents declined from 5.81% in 2023 to 4.64% in 2024, which Data USA reported as a 20.1% decline. Among insured residents, 21.4% were under 18, 13.1% were ages 18 to 34, 40.6% were ages 35 to 64, and 24.9% were age 65 or older. The age distribution is relevant to service planning because Medicare coverage and older-adult care needs represent a sizeable share of the insured population.
Other 2024 city indicators include 616 employed residents, 97.7% U.S. citizenship, 1.43% Hispanic residents, and 4.15% foreign-born residents. Data USA counted 1.42 thousand White non-Hispanic residents, 53 Asian non-Hispanic residents, and 48 residents identifying as two or more races and non-Hispanic.
Economic and social conditions
The Michigan 2020 Primary Care Needs Assessment: Iosco County Profile classified Iosco County as rural. Its total population was 25,247, ranking 56th among Michigan’s 83 counties. The profile gave the county a health status rank of 26 of 83 and a social determinants of health rank of 6 of 83. Rankings are relative measures within Michigan and do not by themselves describe a specific person’s health.
Economic indicators show several pressures that can affect access to care. Iosco County’s annual median income was $42,102, compared with $54,938 for Michigan and $60,293 for the United States. Unemployment was 6.4%, versus 4.1% statewide and 3.9% nationally. Adults without a high school diploma represented 11.1% of the county, compared with 9.5% in Michigan and 12.3% in the United States.
The county population below 100% of the federal poverty level was 16.4%, compared with 15.0% in Michigan and 14.1% nationally. At 200% of the federal poverty level, the county figure was 41.0%, versus 32.7% in Michigan and 31.9% in the United States. Food insecurity was 13.7%, matching Michigan and exceeding the U.S. rate of 12.5%. The eviction rate was 1.3%, below Michigan’s 3.3% and the U.S. rate of 2.3%.
Tawas City’s median property value was $138,000 and median property taxes were $518 in 2024, according to Data USA. The average commute was 14.3 minutes; 81% of workers drove alone, 8.03% carpooled, and 7.87% worked at home. These measures provide context for household resources and daily logistics, but they are not direct measures of medical need.
Major health outcomes
The county profile reported an all-invasive cancer incidence of 412.2 per 100,000 people in Iosco County, compared with 450.9 in Michigan and 448.0 in the United States. By cancer type, female breast cancer incidence was 95.5 per 100,000, versus 124.0 in Michigan and 125.2 nationally. Prostate cancer incidence was 67.0, compared with 108.1 statewide and 104.1 nationally. Lung and bronchus cancer incidence was higher locally at 73.2, versus 64.2 in Michigan and 59.2 in the United States. Colon and rectum cancer incidence was 37.2, close to Michigan’s 37.5 and below the U.S. figure of 38.7.
Diabetes prevalence was 13.3% in Iosco County, compared with 9.8% in Michigan and 8.5% nationally. The profile reported HIV prevalence of 47.8 per 100,000, versus 163.1 in Michigan and 372.8 in the United States. The chlamydia rate was 247.2 per 100,000, compared with 512.8 statewide and 539.9 nationally. Acute hepatitis C was reported at 0.0 per 100,000 in the county, versus 1.8 in Michigan and 1.0 nationally.
Mortality measures were higher locally for several major causes. Total mortality was 929.6 per 100,000 in Iosco County, compared with 783.1 in Michigan and 723.6 in the United States. Heart disease mortality was 231.0, versus 194.9 statewide and 163.6 nationally. Cancer mortality was 189.3, compared with 161.1 in Michigan and 149.1 in the United States. Chronic lower respiratory disease mortality was 72.9, versus 44.2 statewide and 39.7 nationally. Stroke mortality was 55.1, compared with 39.9 in Michigan and 37.1 nationally.
The profile did not provide county values for diabetes mellitus mortality, kidney disease mortality, suicide, drug-induced mortality, or alcohol-induced mortality. The comparison values available were 21.9, 15.0, 15.0, 29.3, and 9.2 per 100,000 in Michigan, respectively, and 21.4, 12.9, 14.2, 21.8, and 9.6 nationally. The missing county values should not be treated as zero.
| Measure | Iosco County | Michigan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total mortality per 100,000 | 929.6 | 783.1 | 723.6 |
| Heart disease mortality per 100,000 | 231.0 | 194.9 | 163.6 |
| Cancer mortality per 100,000 | 189.3 | 161.1 | 149.1 |
| Chronic lower respiratory disease mortality per 100,000 | 72.9 | 44.2 | 39.7 |
| Stroke mortality per 100,000 | 55.1 | 39.9 | 37.1 |
Maternal, child, and preventive health
The Iosco County profile reported preterm births at 6.2%, below Michigan’s 10.0% and the U.S. rate of 9.8%. Low birthweight was 6.7%, compared with 8.6% statewide and 8.2% nationally. Infant mortality, however, was 9.3 per 1,000 live births, higher than Michigan’s 6.7 and the U.S. rate of 5.9. The neonatal abstinence syndrome rate was 2,145.9 in Iosco County, compared with 835.8 in Michigan; the supplied profile did not provide a U.S. comparison for that measure.
Late or no prenatal care affected 29.9% of county births, versus 24.1% in Michigan and 21.9% nationally. Maternal tobacco use was 40.3%, substantially above the state figure of 14.3% and the U.S. figure of 6.5%. Elevated blood lead levels in children were reported at 3.2%, close to Michigan’s 3.1% and the U.S. rate of 3.0%.
Adult obesity prevalence was 30.1% in Iosco County, compared with 56.1% in Michigan and 39.6% nationally in the profile. Physical inactivity was 25.5%, versus 36.7% in Michigan; no U.S. value was supplied for that measure. Access to fluoridated water was 57.0%, below Michigan’s 68.8% and the U.S. figure of 62.4%.
Preventive-care measures also show room for attention among older residents. Annual medical exams among residents age 65 and older were reported at 24.0%, compared with 30.0% in Michigan and 27.0% nationally. Annual flu shots for that age group were 29.0%, versus 46.0% in both Michigan and the United States. The county’s uninsured rate among residents under 65 was 7.6%, compared with 6.1% statewide and 10.6% nationally.
Healthcare access and workforce
The county’s population-to-primary-care-FTE ratio was 2,259.2 to 1, compared with 766 to 1 in Michigan. The female-to-OB/GYN-FTE ratio was 1,642.0 to 1, versus 1,198 to 1 statewide. The population-to-psychiatrist-FTE ratio was 168,313.3 to 1, compared with 9,371 to 1 in Michigan. The population-to-dentist-FTE ratio was 3,366.3 to 1, versus 1,640 to 1 statewide.
The profile listed Iosco County as having a primary-care Health Professional Shortage Area designation for low-income residents and a dental-health HPSA designation for low-income residents. It also listed a mental-health HPSA designation for the geographic area of Au Sable Valley. These designations identify documented shortage areas; they do not quantify appointment wait times or guarantee that every resident lacks access.
Mental health and substance-use disorder hospitalizations were 4,065.5 per 100,000 in Iosco County, higher than Michigan’s 3,675.5 and the U.S. figure of 3,087.7. Preventable hospitalizations were reported at 19.8%, compared with 22.8% in Michigan and 10.1% nationally.
Local hospitals and long-term care
Cortico Health described MyMichigan Medical Center Tawas as a 47-bed acute inpatient facility with 24/7 emergency care, surgical services, imaging, and a maternity center. These services place emergency, inpatient, diagnostic, surgical, and maternity capacity within the local healthcare picture.
The ProPublica nursing home report listed Iosco County Medical Care Facility with 78 certified beds and an average of 50 residents per day. Its reported nurse staffing was 5.95 hours per resident per day, compared with a Michigan average of 4.0. Nurse turnover was 37.3%, versus a Michigan state average of 44.4%.
Inspection information in the same ProPublica report recorded 36 total deficiencies and two infection-related deficiencies. The most recent standard report dated November 21, 2023 recorded 11 deficiencies, while an August 9, 2023 complaint report recorded one deficiency. An August 17, 2022 standard report recorded eight deficiencies, including one infection-related deficiency. The facility had 39 qualifying beds in its certified provider or supplier facility listing.
The facility figures come from report-specific definitions and dates, so certified beds, qualifying beds, average daily residents, and inspection deficiencies represent different measures. Reading them separately gives a clearer view of capacity, staffing, occupancy, and regulatory history for long-term care in Iosco County.