Oscar Gill House · Photo: 61north · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Anchorage as a whole is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns
Anchorage beats Alaska on 3 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Anchorage. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Anchorage
Against towns with similar incomes, Anchorage’s lead shrinks
Anchorage is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns, but 59% of the 8,085 towns with similar household incomes ($77K–$129K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Anchorage has four hospitals within its borders
4 hospitals and 6 community health centers are inside Anchorage. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Alaska figure falls outside Anchorage’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Anchorage’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Anchorage is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns, #20 of 41 in Alaska. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 91% of towns); the weakest is smoking, still better than 54%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Anchorage’s median household income is $103,284; among the 8,085 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($77K–$129K), it’s healthier than 59%, about where its income would put it.
Most Alaska towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Anchorage is healthier than 52% of graded towns, against 74% nationally.
At 287,155 residents, Anchorage is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Anchorage
4 hospitals and 6 community health centers in Anchorage.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Anchorage; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Out of every 100 Anchorage adults…
Anchorage runs below AK on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Anchorage residents are 65 or older, vs 14% across Alaska. Heart disease and COPD run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
875 miles of trails across 109 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Anchorage adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Anchorage adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 Anchorage adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10% of Anchorage adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Anchorage and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | B+ | 35.2% | 9% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Knik River | — | — | — | — |
Knik River: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Anchorage adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Anchorage
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Anchorage is better than Alaska on 3 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Anchorage’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Anchorage | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.9%16.3–19.9 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%11.2–13.7 | 13.1% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.9–18.2 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%31.4–39.4 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9%8–10.2 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.4%28.9–34.2 | 32.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.5%28.9–34.4 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.1%20.2–24.4 | 23.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.8–12.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.5%5.9–7.1 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.4%4.9–6 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.7–3.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.7%8.9–12.7 | 13.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.9–16.2 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20%17.7–22.6 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18%15.8–20.6 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.6%32.2–39.2 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.7%8.5–11 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.6%67.5–73.6 | 68.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62%59.2–64.7 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.2%78.2–82.1 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.2%64.4–70.1 | 68% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.7%58–65.2 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.8%64–75.1 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.7%19.3–24.4 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.1%31–37.5 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.1%22.5–27.9 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.7%12.2–15.3 | 14.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.5%11.1–14 | 12.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.3%7.4–9.4 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.9%8–9.9 | 9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10%8.8–11.3 | 10.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.7%25.2–30.6 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.2%10.1–12.5 | 11.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%12.3–15.1 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6.2–7.6 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%4.1–4.8 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.6–8.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%3–3.5 | 3.3% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Alaska figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Anchorage
Is Anchorage a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Anchorage is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #20 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 59%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Anchorage?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.4% and 39.4%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Anchorage?
Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage, 17.3 miles in a straight line from Anchorage’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Anchorage have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.5–11%), against 10% across Alaska.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Anchorage more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Anchorage.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Alaska figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.