Diabetes rates have been on the rise for the last two decades, and show no sign of abating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 11.3% of the U.S. population suffers from diabetes—though many of those affected do not know they have the chronic illness.
Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in 2020, but the disease does not impact all Americans equally. Instead, variables like poverty level, geographic region, and race all influence diabetes rates, meaning some Americans are disproportionately impacted by the disease.
The Southeastern portion of the U.S. has a particularly high concentration of counties with elevated diabetes rates, with parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, and nearly all of Louisiana, along with other states, facing some of the highest rates. Studies have shown that lack of access to healthy, affordable foods and health care services, exposure to environmental toxins, and other health hazards associated with poverty and systemic racism contribute to the increased likelihood of developing diabetes. These same conditions also mean that poor, non-white Americans are more likely to endure complications and have higher mortality rates from diabetes than wealthier white Americans with the disease.
The proportion of young people with diabetes is projected to increase over the next several decades, with racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities only growing larger if trends continue. Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified the counties in Michigan with the highest percentage of adults with diabetes. Ties were broken by the broader Quality of Life rank provided by the analysis, which includes other poor physical and mental health indicators. The age-adjusted diabetes rate was obtained through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
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Notorious4life // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 25#25. Alcona County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #66
--- Quality of life rank: #68
--- Length of life rank: #61
- Estimated county population: 10,505
Ian Poellet (User:Werewombat) // Wikimedia Commons
2 / 25#24. Arenac County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #57
--- Quality of life rank: #69
--- Length of life rank: #42
- Estimated county population: 14,953
Notorious4life // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 25#23. Crawford County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #59
--- Quality of life rank: #71
--- Length of life rank: #39
- Estimated county population: 13,981
Rklawton // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 25#22. Iron County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #81
--- Quality of life rank: #75
--- Length of life rank: #83
- Estimated county population: 11,066
NOAA Great Lakes Envorinmental Ressearch Laboritory // Flickr
5 / 25Charles W. Chapman // Wikimedia Commons
6 / 25#20. Schoolcraft County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #67
--- Quality of life rank: #78
--- Length of life rank: #49
- Estimated county population: 8,104
USFWSmidwest // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 25#19. Oscoda County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #75
--- Quality of life rank: #79
--- Length of life rank: #71
- Estimated county population: 8,368
Bryan Robb // Wikimedia Commons
8 / 25#18. Ingham County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #38
--- Quality of life rank: #32
--- Length of life rank: #46
- Estimated county population: 290,609
Lawrence G. Miller // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 25#17. Van Buren County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #31
--- Quality of life rank: #35
--- Length of life rank: #31
- Estimated county population: 75,474
Unknown author // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 25#16. Gratiot County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #30
--- Quality of life rank: #40
--- Length of life rank: #27
- Estimated county population: 40,283
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P199 // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 25#15. Chippewa County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #32
--- Quality of life rank: #46
--- Length of life rank: #25
- Estimated county population: 36,958
Modlind // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 25#14. Baraga County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #43
--- Quality of life rank: #47
--- Length of life rank: #44
- Estimated county population: 8,164
Charles W. Chapman // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 25#13. St. Joseph County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #64
--- Quality of life rank: #50
--- Length of life rank: #68
- Estimated county population: 60,848
Jeffness // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 25#12. Mackinac County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #41
--- Quality of life rank: #58
--- Length of life rank: #33
- Estimated county population: 10,839
rossograph // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 25#11. Oceana County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #47
--- Quality of life rank: #59
--- Length of life rank: #37
- Estimated county population: 26,819
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battlecreekcvb // Wikimedia Commons
16 / 25#10. Calhoun County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #69
--- Quality of life rank: #66
--- Length of life rank: #73
- Estimated county population: 133,580
rossograph // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 25#9. Isabella County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #48
--- Quality of life rank: #70
--- Length of life rank: #29
- Estimated county population: 69,504
User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 25#8. Gladwin County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #76
--- Quality of life rank: #72
--- Length of life rank: #74
- Estimated county population: 25,424
Elevatorrailfan // Wikimedia Commons
19 / 25#7. Ogemaw County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #77
--- Quality of life rank: #73
--- Length of life rank: #76
- Estimated county population: 20,923
Iulus Ascanius // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 25#6. Clare County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #79
--- Quality of life rank: #74
--- Length of life rank: #80
- Estimated county population: 30,771
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kennethaw88 // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 25#5. Saginaw County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #71
--- Quality of life rank: #76
--- Length of life rank: #70
- Estimated county population: 189,868
Charles W. Chapman // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 25#4. Luce County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #72
--- Quality of life rank: #81
--- Length of life rank: #63
- Estimated county population: 6,126
Flintmichigan // Wikicommons
23 / 25#3. Genesee County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #80
--- Quality of life rank: #80
--- Length of life rank: #78
- Estimated county population: 404,794
PhotosByMahin // Pixabay
24 / 25#2. Wayne County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #83
--- Quality of life rank: #82
--- Length of life rank: #82
- Estimated county population: 1,740,623
rossograph // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 25#1. Lake County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #82
--- Quality of life rank: #83
--- Length of life rank: #75
- Estimated county population: 11,587
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