Photo: RadioKAOS · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Alaska, Badger is healthier than 45% of graded towns
Badger differs from Alaska on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Badger. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Badger
Alaska sets a high bar
Badger is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, but only 45% of the 41 Alaska towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Badger is short on dental care and mental health care
Badger’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Heart disease and stroke are less common in Badger
Badger runs below Alaska on heart disease (4.5% vs 5.7%), stroke (2.5% vs 3.1%) and diabetes (7.7% vs 9.4%). Conditions ↓
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 Badger’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Badger’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Badger is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, #23 of 41 in Alaska. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 97% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 44%).
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). Badger’s median household income is $97,183; among the 8,987 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($73K–$121K), it’s healthier than 62%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Badger
No hospital or community health center in Badger itself. These are the nearest.
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 Badger; ≈ 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 Badger adults…
Badger runs below AK on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Badger residents are 65 or older, vs 14% across Alaska. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
67 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Badger adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Badger adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 Badger 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.
8.1% of Badger adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Badger and the towns around it
Badger’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Badger | B+ | 36.1% | 7.7% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| North Pole | A− | 34.6% | 7.3% | 14% | CDC place |
| Steele Creek | A | 34.7% | 8.1% | 13% | CDC place |
| Fairbanks | B+ | 35.5% | 7.9% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| Moose Creek | — | — | — | — |
Moose Creek: 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 Badger adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Badger
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Badger is better than Alaska on 11 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Badger’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Badger | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.4%14.5–18.5 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%11–13.8 | 13.1% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.9–18.7 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.1%31.5–40.9 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.7%6.7–8.8 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30%27.1–32.9 | 32.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.3%29.3–35.5 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.1%17.9–22.3 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.2%5.7–6.8 | 7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.5%4.1–5 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.2%4.5–5.8 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.4%8.4–12.5 | 13.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%13.4–17.5 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.3%18.5–24.4 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.7%16.1–21.6 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.2%34–42.4 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.5%8.1–11.1 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 65%61.3–68.6 | 68.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.5%57.4–63.7 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.5%76.2–80.6 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 64.1%60.8–67.2 | 68% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.3%56–64.4 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 63.8%56.7–70.2 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.8%19–24.8 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.1%30.2–37.9 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.1%22.9–29.2 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.4%9.7–13.2 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%9.2–12.3 | 12.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%5.9–7.9 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%6.9–8.9 | 9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.1%6.8–9.5 | 10.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.2%25.1–31.4 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 11.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%12.5–15.9 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.3–7.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.6–3.1 | 3.3% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Badger
Is Badger a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Badger is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #23 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 62%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Badger?
CDC estimates 36.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.5% and 40.9%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Badger?
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Fairbanks, 10.4 miles in a straight line from Badger’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Badger have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.1–11.1%), 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 Badger 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 Badger.
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.