The Allegan County United Way offers a wide range of programs and services. Details on each program can be found in the menu to the left. If you have any questions, or would like to volunteer, please contact us.

The Allegan County Report card below gives specific details on how Allegan County rates in comparison with the entire state of Michigan as well as the overall United States. We encourage you to read through these statistics to understand why the need for our programs and services and the importance of the Allegan County United way is at an all time high.

For a printable version of this report, you can download it HERE.

OBESITY

• 38.5% of Allegan County adults are overweight, compared to Michigan at 30.9%.
• 30.7% of Allegan County adults are obese compared to Michigan at 30.9%.
• 17.9% of Allegan County youth are obese compared to Michigan at 11.9%
• 74.2% of Allegan County adults engage in leisure time physical activity compare to Michigan at 75.7%.
• 43.4% of Allegan County youth engage in leisure time physical activity compared to Michigan at 46.8%.

Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth, 2010, Allegan

DIABETES

• The adult diabetes rate for Allegan County is 10.9%, compared to 9.0% for Michigan.

Frost Center, Allegan County Health Needs Assessment 2011

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE

• 32.3% of the Allegan County population had no routine health care checkup in the past year.
• 15.4% of the Allegan County population have no health care coverage, higher than Michigan.
• The ratio of 51.5 primary care providers per 100,000 people is less than half the state (114.4).
• 9.0% of the Allegan County population have no Primary Care Provider.
• 14.7% of the Allegan County population have no health care access due to cost, higher than Michigan.

Frost Center, Allegan County Health Needs Assessment 2011

POVERTY

• The percentage of the overall population living in poverty increased from 7.3% in 2000 to 16.3% in 2012
• The percentage of children under 18 living in poverty increased from 5% in 2000 to 17.3% in 2012.
• The rate of students eligible for Free and Reduced lunch increased from 21% in 2000 to 41% in 2012.

US Census Bureau Small Income and Poverty Estimates County Health Rankings, Allegan County
US Census Bureau, 2006-2010 American Community Survey
2010 Kids County Data

DENTAL CARE

• 27.3% of the Allegan County population did not visit a dentist in the past year.

Frost Center, Allegan County Health Needs Assessment 2011

EDUCATION

• 90% of the Allegan County population over 25 has a high school diploma, compared to Michigan at 89%, and the U.S. at 86%.
• 23% of the Allegan County population over 25 has a Bachelor’s degree, compared to Michigan at 26% and the U.S. at 29%.
• 8% of the Allegan County population over 25 has an advanced degree, compared to Michigan at 10% and the U.S. at 11%.

ADULT SUBSTANCE ABUSE

• 27.1% of Allegan County adults smoke, compare to Michigan at 19.7%, and the U.S. at 17.3%.
• 16.8% of Allegan County adults reported binge drinking, compared to Michigan at 16.6%, and the U.S. at 15.8%.
• 4.8% of traffic accidents in Allegan County involve alcohol, compared to Michigan at 3.5%.

Source: US Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey
Michigan Office of Highway and Safety Planning, 2010
Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth, 2010, Allegan County Health Rankings

BASIC NEEDS

• Allegan County’s unemployment rate of 7.8% is lower than Michigan’s at 9.4%, and equal to the U.S.
• The total number of jobs lost in Allegan County from 2005 to 2010 was just over 1,900, or a 5.7% decline in industry jobs.
• The proportion of vacant housing units is higher in Allegan County at 15% than Michigan at 14.6%, and the U.S. at 11.4%.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; US Census Bureau 2012 estimates; U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW).

TRANSPORTATION

• Residents have to travel great distances to access the many social and health care programs. With respect to health care, they often have to travel outside of Allegan County to access care. Usually this is due to a referral for specialized care, child delivery, OB/GYN or prenatal care, cancer treatment, or pediatric-related care.
• Transportation is not only a top barrier to health care but can also be a barrier to employment – either getting a job or retaining one.

Frost Center, Allegan County Community Health Needs Assessment

Get involved today!

YOU can help make a positive impact in Allegan County and your community by volunteering, donating, or being an Allegan County United Way advocate.