Photo: Federal Aviation Administration, Alaska Region · Public domainWithin Alaska, Big Lake is healthier than 2% of graded towns
Big Lake differs from Alaska on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Big Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Big Lake
COPD, heart disease and arthritis run high in Big Lake
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.9%), vs 6.1% across Alaska. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.9%), vs 5.7% across Alaska. Arthritis is also above the state: 31.6%, vs 23.3% across Alaska. In all, Big Lake runs above Alaska on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Big Lake is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Big Lake’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
More Big Lake adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (26.2%), vs 21.7% across Alaska. There are 76 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Big Lake, and more people treating it
37.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Alaska 32.5%), but 71.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 68% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Big Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Big Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Lake is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 68% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Big Lake’s median household income is $81,406; among the 10,691 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$102K), it’s healthier than 26%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Big Lake adults…
Big Lake runs above AK on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Big Lake
1 community health center in Big Lake, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Big Lake; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
76 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Big Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Big Lake adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 Big Lake 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.
11.1% of Big Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Big Lake and the towns around it
Big Lake’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake | C+ | 39.3% | 11.5% | 19.8% | CDC place |
| Knik-Fairview | B− | 38% | 8.5% | 18.6% | CDC place |
| Point MacKenzie | C+ | 42.3% | 10.5% | 24.3% | CDC place |
| Willow | C+ | 38.7% | 13% | 17.7% | CDC place |
| Houston | C− | 42.2% | 12% | 24% | CDC place |
| Meadow Lakes | B− | 38.5% | 9.4% | 19% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Big Lake adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Big Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Big Lake is better than Alaska on 4 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Big Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Big Lake | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.9%19.1–24.5 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%13.9–17.5 | 13.1% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.2–17.6 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.3%34.3–43.6 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%10–12.9 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.7%34.3–40.7 | 32.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.1%36.5–43.2 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.6%28.7–34.2 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.1 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8.1–9.9 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%7–8.7 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.9%7.7–10.1 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.6%12.2–17.6 | 13.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.8%17–22.5 | 16% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.2%22.5–29.6 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%12.2–16.5 | 17.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.4%29.6–37.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.2%8.4–11.9 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.1%69.9–76 | 68.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.6%54.3–60.7 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.9%79.8–83.9 | 79.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.8%68.4–74.7 | 68% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.9%56.8–64.9 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 64.2%57.3–70.8 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.6%18.7–24.1 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.6%28.1–35.5 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.9%21.8–28.3 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.5%12.5–17 | 14.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.9%10.2–13.8 | 12.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8%6.9–9.2 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.8%7.7–10 | 9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.1%9.3–13.3 | 10.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.9%32–39.4 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.6%13.5–17.7 | 11.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.3%13.4–17 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.9%8.7–10.9 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%7.8–9.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.8–4.8 | 3.3% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Big Lake
Is Big Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Lake is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 26%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Big Lake?
CDC estimates 39.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.3% and 43.6%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Big Lake?
Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage, 21.7 miles in a straight line from Big Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Big Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.4–11.9%), 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 Big Lake more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Big Lake.
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.