Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Metlakatla is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Metlakatla trails Alaska on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Metlakatla. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Metlakatla
Dental care lags in Metlakatla
47.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 59.7% across Alaska. Among those 65 and older, 21.1% have lost all their teeth (Alaska 13.5%). Metlakatla’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Metlakatla
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (26.7%), about twice the Alaska rate. No reliable transportation (16.4% vs 9%) and utility shut-off threats (14.6% vs 8.2%) are higher too. 18.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Diabetes, stroke and COPD run high in Metlakatla
1 in 7 adults have diabetes (14.6%), vs 9.4% across Alaska. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.8%), vs 3.1% across Alaska. COPD is also above the state: 8.9%, vs 6.1% across Alaska. In all, Metlakatla runs above Alaska on six of 11 chronic conditions. 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 Metlakatla’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Metlakatla’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Metlakatla is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 40% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Metlakatla’s median household income is $72,279; among the 10,700 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$90K), it’s healthier than 5%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Metlakatla 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.
18.8% of Metlakatla adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Out of every 100 Metlakatla adults…
Metlakatla runs above AK on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Metlakatla
No hospital or community health center in Metlakatla 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 Metlakatla; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Metlakatla adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Metlakatla runs above Alaska.
4 in 10 Metlakatla 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.
Metlakatla and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metlakatla | D | 40.4% | 14.6% | 25.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Metlakatla adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Metlakatla
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Metlakatla is better than Alaska on 0 and worse on 20; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Metlakatla’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Metlakatla | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.9%24.1–32 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.4–21.3 | 13.1% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.1–21.9 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.4%32.9–49 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.6%12.5–16.9 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.2%33–41.7 | 32.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.3%29.2–37.8 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.8%24.6–31.5 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13.7%12.1–15.5 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%5.9–7.4 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.1–9.2 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.9%7.6–10.3 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.3–5.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.1%17.3–25.2 | 13.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 25.4%21.8–29.5 | 16% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.1%22.4–32.6 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.7%13.7–20.1 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.7%32.3–45.3 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12%9.7–14.9 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.2%63.7–72.6 | 68.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 47.2%43.3–51.2 | 59.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.5%74.6–80.2 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70%66.2–73.4 | 68% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 52.7%47.2–58 | 59.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 59.3%50.1–68.3 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.1%17.9–24.9 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.3%30.7–42 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.4%26.7–35.9 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26.7%22.4–30.9 | 14.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.5%17.3–23.6 | 12.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.6%12.4–16.6 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 16.4%14.2–18.6 | 9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.8%15.4–22.1 | 10.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.9%34.8–45.5 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.8%16.2–21.7 | 11.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.7%16.3–21.4 | 14% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.1%9.8–12.6 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.4%7.4–9.5 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.6%10.1–13.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 3.3% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Metlakatla
Is Metlakatla a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Metlakatla is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 5%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Metlakatla?
CDC estimates 40.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.9% and 49%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Metlakatla?
Peacehealth Ketchikan Medical Center in Ketchikan, 17.3 miles in a straight line from Metlakatla’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Metlakatla have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.7–14.9%), 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 Metlakatla more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Metlakatla.
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.