Photo: United States Air Force · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Eielson AFB is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns
Eielson AFB differs from Alaska on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Eielson AFB. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Eielson AFB
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Eielson AFB
Eielson AFB runs below Alaska on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (1.6% vs 7%), heart disease (1.5% vs 5.7%) and stroke (0.9% vs 3.1%). A young population is part of it: only 0% of residents are 65 or older (Alaska 14%). Conditions ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Eielson AFB doesn’t win on
22.6% of adults binge drink, vs 17.6% across Alaska, even though fewer of them smoke. Habits ↓
Mental distress runs high in Eielson AFB
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.3%), vs 16.1% across Alaska. Loneliness is above the state too: 40.3%, vs 33.3% across Alaska. Mind & connection ↓
Eielson AFB is short on dental care and mental health care
Eielson AFB’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 ↓
Eielson AFB is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Eielson AFB is healthier than 77%. Against the 10,348 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 94%. Health Grade ↓
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 Eielson AFB’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Eielson AFB’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Eielson AFB is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns, #12 of 41 in Alaska. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Eielson AFB’s median household income is $68,199; among the 10,348 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 94%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Eielson AFB adults…
Eielson AFB runs below AK on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 0% of Eielson AFB 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.
7.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Eielson AFB adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Eielson AFB runs above Alaska.
2 in 5 Eielson AFB 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.
Care in and near Eielson AFB
No hospital or community health center in Eielson AFB 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 Eielson AFB; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Eielson AFB adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
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 Eielson AFB adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Eielson AFB and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eielson AFB | A− | 33.4% | 3.1% | 12.8% | CDC place |
| Salcha | — | — | — | — | |
| Moose Creek | — | — | — | — |
Salcha and 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 Eielson AFB adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Eielson AFB
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Eielson AFB is better than Alaska on 11 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Eielson AFB’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Eielson AFB | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.7%12.3–17.7 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.4%8–10.9 | 13.1% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.3%17.5–23.3 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.4%29–38 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 3.1%2.6–3.6 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 17%14.9–19.3 | 32.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 18.6%16.3–21.1 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 7.6%6.5–8.7 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.1%8.9–11.4 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 1.6%1.5–1.8 | 7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 1.5%1.3–1.7 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 2.5%2.1–3.1 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 0.9%0.8–1.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14%11.4–16.9 | 13.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.8%10.1–15.7 | 16% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.6%16–23.5 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 22.6%19.3–26.1 | 17.6% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.1%34.9–43.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.1%10.3–16.6 | 10% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 56.1%51.9–60.5 | 68.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.4%54–60.6 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 63.8%59.2–68.1 | 79.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 33.6%30.2–37.3 | 68% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 45.3%40.8–49.7 | 59.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 64.2%57.1–70.8 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%20.4–26.6 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 40.3%36–44.7 | 33.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.5%24.5–32.5 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.8%12.6–19.6 | 14.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.2%11.7–16.8 | 12.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.8%7.4–10.4 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.6%9.6–13.6 | 9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.1%8.6–13.9 | 10.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.5%23.3–32 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 4.4%3.7–5.2 | 11.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.9%14.9–21.2 | 14% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.4%2.9–3.9 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.1–4.3 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.3–9.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.8%1.6–2.1 | 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 Eielson AFB
Is Eielson AFB a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Eielson AFB is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #12 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Eielson AFB?
CDC estimates 33.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 29% and 38%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Eielson AFB?
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Fairbanks, 22.9 miles in a straight line from Eielson AFB’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Eielson AFB have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.3–16.6%), 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 Eielson AFB 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 Eielson AFB.
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.