Knik Site · Photo: Cherime MacFarlane · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Alaska, Knik-Fairview is healthier than 21% of graded towns
Knik-Fairview trails Alaska on 3 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Knik-Fairview. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Knik-Fairview
Alaska sets a high bar
Knik-Fairview is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, but only 21% of the 41 Alaska towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Knik-Fairview is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Knik-Fairview’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Knik-Fairview’s lead shrinks
Knik-Fairview is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, but 34% of the 9,114 towns with similar household incomes ($72K–$121K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. 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 Knik-Fairview’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Knik-Fairview’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Knik-Fairview is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, #32 of 41 in Alaska. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 94% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Knik-Fairview’s median household income is $96,437; among the 9,114 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$121K), it’s healthier than 34%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Knik-Fairview
No hospital or community health center in Knik-Fairview 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 Knik-Fairview; ≈ 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 Knik-Fairview adults…
On every condition, Knik-Fairview is about the same as Alaska. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Knik-Fairview residents are 65 or older, vs 14% across Alaska. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
18 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Knik-Fairview adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Knik-Fairview adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 Knik-Fairview 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.
10.8% of Knik-Fairview adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Knik-Fairview and the towns around it
Knik-Fairview’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knik-Fairview | B− | 38% | 8.5% | 18.6% | CDC place |
| Big Lake | C+ | 39.3% | 11.5% | 19.8% | CDC place |
| Meadow Lakes | B− | 38.5% | 9.4% | 19% | CDC place |
| Point MacKenzie | C+ | 42.3% | 10.5% | 24.3% | CDC place |
| Wasilla | C+ | 38.4% | 9.6% | 18.5% | CDC place |
| Gateway | A− | 35.6% | 7.4% | 14.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Knik-Fairview adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Knik-Fairview
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Knik-Fairview is better than Alaska on 0 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Knik-Fairview’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Knik-Fairview | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.9%16.7–21.1 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%12.3–15.2 | 13.1% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.6–19.3 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38%33.3–42.4 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.5%7.4–9.6 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.3%27.4–33 | 32.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.1%30.8–37 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.6%22.2–27 | 23.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.3 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%6–7.2 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.9–6 | 5.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%5.9–7.5 | 6.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.7–3.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.7%11.3–16.5 | 13.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.6%16.1–20.9 | 16% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 23%19.9–26 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%14.4–19.4 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.7%30.8–38.9 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.2%8.7–11.9 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.2%65.7–72.3 | 68.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.5%53.2–59.6 | 59.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.2%76–80.3 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 64.5%60.9–67.5 | 68% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.4%52.3–60.6 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 64.3%57.6–71 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23%20.1–25.7 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.3%29.8–37 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.5%22.4–28.5 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.4%12.3–16.4 | 14.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.8%11–14.6 | 12.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.3–9.6 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.2%8.1–10.3 | 9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.8%9–12.5 | 10.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.2%28.8–35.4 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.7%10.3–13.1 | 11.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.9%14.1–17.6 | 14% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.6–8.1 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%4.1–4.9 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%7.3–9.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.1–3.8 | 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 Knik-Fairview
Is Knik-Fairview a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Knik-Fairview is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #32 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 34%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Knik-Fairview?
CDC estimates 38% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.3% and 42.4%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Knik-Fairview?
Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer, 12.5 miles in a straight line from Knik-Fairview’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Knik-Fairview have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.7–11.9%), 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 Knik-Fairview 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 Knik-Fairview.
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.