These Michigan Counties Have Highest Cancer Rates in the State

Cancer is a horrendous disease that is consistently one of the highest causes of death in the country. While genetics can play a role, its largely unpredictable nature can make it incredibly dangerous.

Unfortunately, most people know or have known someone battling the disease. An average of nearly 1.7 million people per year battle some type of cancer.

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Because the disease is so prevalent, each month, except December, is dedicated to spreading awareness about many of the different types and sites of cancer. October is well known for breast cancer awareness, while March is the awareness month of colorectal, and September the month for prostate. A full list of which months are dedicated to awareness for certain cancers can be found here.

These are some of the most prevalent types and sites of cancer, though all pale in comparison to lung cancer, which takes the most lives of any type by far.

In Michigan, cancer is no different. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the state, only behind heart disease. In fact, Michigan's death rate from cancer is 160.1, the 13th highest in the country.

On average, nearly 56,000 people have cancer in Michigan. According to most recent reports, that number is trending downward in the state. However, statistics do vary from county to county throughout the Mitten State.

In the gallery below is a list of the 50 counties with the highest cancer rates in all of Michigan. The list was compiled by Stacker, using data from the CDC.