Photo: Beeblebrox at en.wikipedia) · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Homer is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns
Homer differs from Alaska on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Homer. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Homer
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Homer
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.1%), vs 7% across Alaska. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.1%), vs 5.7% across Alaska. COPD is also above the state: 7.4%, vs 6.1% across Alaska. In all, Homer runs above Alaska on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Fewer Homer adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around 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 Homer’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Homer’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Homer is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns, #18 of 41 in Alaska. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 87% of towns); the weakest is smoking, still better than 51%.
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). Homer’s median household income is $74,449; among the 10,851 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$93K), it’s healthier than 88%, about where its income would put it.
Most Alaska towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Homer is healthier than 58% of graded towns, against 74% nationally.
Out of every 100 Homer adults…
Homer runs below AK on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.6% of Homer adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Care in and near Homer
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Homer, 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 Homer; ≈ 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.
10 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Homer adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Homer adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Homer does better than Alaska.
3 in 10 Homer 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.
Homer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homer | B+ | 31.7% | 9.7% | 14.7% | CDC place |
| Diamond Ridge | A− | 31% | 8.8% | 14% | CDC place |
| Kachemak | — | — | — | — |
Kachemak: 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 Homer adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Homer
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Homer is better than Alaska on 10 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Homer’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Homer | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.1%15.4–21 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.1–16 | 13.1% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.4–16.3 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.7%26.9–36.7 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.3–11.2 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.7%32.2–39.1 | 32.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%35.1–42 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 27.9%25–30.8 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.2–11.8 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9.2–11.1 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.4%6.2–8.7 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.2–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.8%8.1–11.9 | 13.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.7%12.1–17.6 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.7%17.1–24.4 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%14–19.1 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.4%25–32.5 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.2–11.1 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.5%63.9–70.9 | 68.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.1%61.2–67.2 | 59.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.8%79.6–84 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.1%69.9–75.9 | 68% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.9%59.9–68.2 | 59.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 64.3%58–71 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20%17.2–23 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.7%27.1–34.5 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.8%17.1–22.9 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.5%9.3–13.9 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.3%7.7–11 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.5–7.7 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6–8.3 | 9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.6%6.7–10.7 | 10.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.6%25.7–33.5 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.2%11.2–15.4 | 11.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.6%10.7–14.5 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%7.9–10.2 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%4–5.2 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.4%6.4–8.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.1–4.1 | 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 Homer
Is Homer a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Homer is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #18 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 88%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Homer?
CDC estimates 31.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.9% and 36.7%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Homer?
South Peninsula Hospital in Homer, 1.6 miles in a straight line from Homer’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Homer have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–11.1%), 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 Homer 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 Homer.
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.