Constitution Hall · Photo: Durkeeco · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, College is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
College beats Alaska on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for College. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in College
College is short on dental care and mental health care
College’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 ↓
Fewer College adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing and utility bills all run below Alaska. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 College’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind College’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, College is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #11 of 41 in Alaska. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 95% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 56%.
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). College’s median household income is $83,895; among the 10,460 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$105K), it’s healthier than 85%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near College
No hospital or community health center in College 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 College; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.9% of College adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Out of every 100 College adults…
College runs below AK on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
98 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of College adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How College adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 College 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.
College and the towns around it
College’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College | A− | 35.4% | 8.4% | 13.8% | CDC place |
| Farmers Loop | A− | 34.7% | 8.1% | 13.5% | CDC place |
| Fairbanks | B+ | 35.5% | 7.9% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| South Van Horn | — | — | — | — | |
| Chena Ridge | A | 34.1% | 7.6% | 11.7% | CDC place |
| Goldstream | A | 35% | 8.2% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| Ester | A | 34.3% | 7.4% | 12.4% | CDC place |
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 College adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for College
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, College is better than Alaska on 10 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside College’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | College | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.2%14.3–18.2 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.8–13.5 | 13.1% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%14–17.5 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.4%30.9–40.1 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.4%7.3–9.6 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.3%28.4–34.2 | 32.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.2%30.2–36.4 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.2%19–23.4 | 23.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.3–11.7 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.9%6.3–7.5 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.4–5.5 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–2.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.9%7.2–10.9 | 13.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.8%12–15.9 | 16% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.9%18.1–23.9 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.6%15.1–20.4 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.3%33.1–41.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.7%7.4–10.1 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 67%63.4–70.5 | 68.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.7%58.6–64.8 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.7%77.4–81.8 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 66.8%63.7–69.8 | 68% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.8%58.7–66.6 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 65%57.8–71.5 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.9%18.2–23.8 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33%29.2–36.9 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.8%21.7–28 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.1%9.5–12.8 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.2%8.8–11.8 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.9–8.8 | 9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.9%6.7–9.4 | 10.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.1%25.1–31.2 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10%8.7–11.3 | 11.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.2%11.7–14.7 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.4 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 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 College
Is College a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, College is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #11 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 85%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in College?
CDC estimates 35.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.9% and 40.1%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to College?
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Fairbanks, 3.3 miles in a straight line from College’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in College have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.4–10.1%), 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 College 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 College.
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.