Skip to main content

Population Characteristics

Overhead shot of s desk with a laptop that someone is typing on, a cup of coffee, and a notepad with pen.

Population Characteristics

MiTracking Survey

Complete this survey to tell us the best ways to share environmental health data and information with you.

Your feedback is voluntary and confidential. It will only take you 5-10 minutes to complete. You must be a Michigan resident and at least 18 years old to participate.

The survey will be open until October 15th, 2026. You can start the survey by clicking the link below.

If you have questions or concerns about participating, please email MDHHS-MiTracking@Michigan.gov 

Crowded streetA population is a group of people within a certain area or in a specific group. Population characteristics are important to consider when describing how disease or illness affects people in a community. Certain factors, like your gender, age, or income, can influence your health and your risk during a public health emergency. The same is true for populations.
 
Understanding a population is very important for public health programs and the study of the spread or pattern of sickness in a group of people (epidemiological studies). Knowing a population's characteristics can help public health professionals understand the relationship between environmental conditions and related diseases.1

Population characteristics data available on MiTracking include:

  • Age of Housing.
  • Population numbers by:
    • Age.
    • Gender.
    • Race.
  • Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Environmental Public Health Tracking Program (Tracking Program)

CDC Tracking Program's Data Explorer - SVI

The Data Explorer Tool provided by the CDC Tracking Program shows data from the SVI. The data are from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

For more information on these data, go to the Data - CDC Tracking Program below.