Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Alaska, Fairbanks is healthier than 38% of graded towns
Fairbanks differs from Alaska on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fairbanks. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fairbanks
Alaska sets a high bar
Fairbanks is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, but only 38% of the 41 Alaska towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Fairbanks is short on dental care and mental health care
Fairbanks’ 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 ↓
Cancer and arthritis are less common in Fairbanks
Fairbanks runs below Alaska on six chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.2% vs 7%), arthritis (17.9% vs 23.3%) 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 Fairbanks’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Fairbanks’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairbanks is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, #26 of 41 in Alaska. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 97% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 39%).
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). Fairbanks’ median household income is $73,534; among the 10,783 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$92K), it’s healthier than 80%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Fairbanks
2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Fairbanks.
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 Fairbanks; ≈ 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 Fairbanks adults…
Fairbanks runs below AK on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Fairbanks 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.
73 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fairbanks adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Fairbanks adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
4 in 10 Fairbanks 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.
10.9% of Fairbanks adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Fairbanks and the towns around it
Fairbanks’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks | B+ | 35.5% | 7.9% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| College | A− | 35.4% | 8.4% | 13.8% | CDC place |
| South Van Horn | — | — | — | — | |
| Badger | B+ | 36.1% | 7.7% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| Steele Creek | A | 34.7% | 8.1% | 13% | 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 Fairbanks adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fairbanks
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fairbanks is better than Alaska on 8 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Fairbanks’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fairbanks | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.1%16.1–20.3 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%11–13.7 | 13.1% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%15.8–19.6 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%31.1–40.2 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.9%6.9–8.9 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.5%25.9–31.2 | 32.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29.7%27–32.6 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 17.9%16–19.8 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.7 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.5%4.1–5 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.1%11.6–16.9 | 13.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%13–16.8 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.3%20.2–26.5 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.6%15.9–21.4 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.6%34.5–42.8 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.9%10.3–13.7 | 10% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 63.4%59.6–67 | 68.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.3%55.1–61.5 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 73.4%70.6–75.9 | 79.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 62.1%59.4–64.7 | 68% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.1%54.8–63.2 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 61.6%54.4–68.4 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21%18.3–23.9 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37%33.1–41 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.4%25.1–31.7 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.3%13.2–17.3 | 14.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.2%11.5–15 | 12.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.3–9.5 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.4%9.1–11.5 | 9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.9%9.4–12.5 | 10.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.8%27.6–34.2 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.1%8.9–11.3 | 11.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.8%14–17.7 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.8–7.2 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7.2–9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.3 | 3.3% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Fairbanks
Is Fairbanks a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairbanks is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #26 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 80%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fairbanks?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.1% and 40.2%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fairbanks?
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Fairbanks, 2.6 miles in a straight line from Fairbanks’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fairbanks have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.3–13.7%), 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 Fairbanks more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fairbanks.
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.