Photo: RadioKAOS · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Chena Ridge is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Chena Ridge beats Alaska on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Chena Ridge. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chena Ridge
Chena Ridge is the healthiest town in Alaska we grade
Out of 41 Alaska towns with a Health Grade, Chena Ridge comes first on the seven CDC estimates behind it. Nationally it’s healthier than 91% of towns. Health Grade ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Chena Ridge’s lead shrinks
Chena Ridge is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, but 72% of the 4,172 towns with similar household incomes ($100K–$167K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Chena Ridge keeps up with checkups
It beats Alaska on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (66.4% vs 59.7%) and cholesterol checks (83.6% vs 79.6%). Checkups ↓
Chena Ridge is short on dental care and mental health care
Chena Ridge’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 ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Chena Ridge
Chena Ridge runs below Alaska on four chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.4% vs 6.1%), stroke (2.3% vs 3.1%) and heart disease (4.5% vs 5.7%). 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 Chena Ridge’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Chena Ridge’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chena Ridge is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, #1 of 41 in Alaska. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 98% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 65%.
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). Chena Ridge’s median household income is $133,775; among the 4,172 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($100K–$167K), it’s healthier than 72%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Chena Ridge adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
Care in and near Chena Ridge
No hospital or community health center in Chena Ridge 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 Chena Ridge; ≈ 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 Chena Ridge adults…
Chena Ridge runs below AK on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Chena Ridge residents are 65 or older, vs 14% across Alaska. Heart disease, COPD and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
74 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Chena Ridge adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Chena Ridge does better than Alaska.
3 in 10 Chena Ridge 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.
5% of Chena Ridge adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Chena Ridge and the towns around it
Chena Ridge has the best Health Grade of the 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chena Ridge | A | 34.1% | 7.6% | 11.7% | CDC place |
| Ester | A | 34.3% | 7.4% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| College | A− | 35.4% | 8.4% | 13.8% | CDC place |
| South Van Horn | — | — | — | — |
South Van Horn: 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 Chena Ridge adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chena Ridge
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chena Ridge is better than Alaska on 18 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Chena Ridge’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chena Ridge | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.2%11.1–15.5 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.3–12.5 | 13.1% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.3–15.9 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.1%29.7–38.8 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.6%6.4–8.8 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.7%27.7–33.8 | 32.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.1%30.9–37.4 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.2%18.8–23.6 | 23.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.5%3.9–5.2 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.4%3.6–5.3 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.9%5.6–8.5 | 13.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.7%9.4–14.5 | 16% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.5%14.4–21 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.2%15.6–21 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.9%31.7–40 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.5%5–8.1 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.4%64.8–71.7 | 68.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.4%63.4–69.3 | 59.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.6%81.2–85.6 | 79.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.5%64–70.9 | 68% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.1%60.1–68 | 59.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.8%60.8–74.1 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.1%17.5–22.9 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.5%26.9–34.2 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%19.4–25.7 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.4%5.9–9.2 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.6%6.2–9.1 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5%4.1–6 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.8–6.6 | 9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5%3.9–6.3 | 10.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24%20.7–27.5 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.4%7–9.9 | 11.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.8%9.3–12.6 | 14% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.2–6.8 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.6–3.4 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.4%4.7–6.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.3%2–2.7 | 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 Chena Ridge
Is Chena Ridge a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chena Ridge is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns: A for health, #1 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 72%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chena Ridge?
CDC estimates 34.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.7% and 38.8%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chena Ridge?
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Fairbanks, 9.1 miles in a straight line from Chena Ridge’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chena Ridge have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5–8.1%), 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 Chena Ridge 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 Chena Ridge.
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.