Photo: Sir Mildred Pierce, from North Augusta, South Carolina, USA · CC BY 2.0Within Alaska, Nome is healthier than 28% of graded towns
Nome differs from Alaska on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Nome. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Nome
Alaska sets a high bar
Nome is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns, but only 28% of the 41 Alaska towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Nome
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (18.2%), vs 14.3% across Alaska. No reliable transportation (11.7% vs 9%) and utility shut-off threats (10.2% vs 8.2%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Nome’s lead shrinks
Nome is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns, but 28% of the 6,663 towns with similar household incomes ($85K–$142K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
The nearest ER is 28 miles from Nome
The closest emergency room is Norton Sound Regional Hospital, 27.7 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Norton Sound Health is closer (0.4 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Smoking is more common in Nome
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (19.7%), vs 16% across Alaska. Habits ↓
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 Nome’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Nome’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nome is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #30 of 41 in Alaska. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 92% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Nome’s median household income is $113,646; among the 6,663 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($85K–$142K), it’s healthier than 28%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.4% of Nome adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Care in and near Nome
1 community health center in Nome, 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 Nome; ≈ 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.
Out of every 100 Nome adults…
Nome runs below AK on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of Nome residents are 65 or older, vs 14% across Alaska. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Keeping up with care
Share of Nome adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Nome adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 Nome 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.
Nome and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nome | B | 33% | 8.8% | 19.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Nome adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Nome
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Nome is better than Alaska on 3 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Nome’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Nome | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.8%16.2–21.9 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.6–15.2 | 13.1% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.8–20.1 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33%27–39.4 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.8%7.5–10.2 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 27.9%24.5–31.4 | 32.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.2%26.6–34.1 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19.4%16.9–22 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.4–13.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.5%5–6.1 | 7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.4–5.7 | 5.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 6.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.3%12.4–18.6 | 13.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.7%16.6–23.3 | 16% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 20.9%17.4–25.1 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 21.3%17.8–24.9 | 17.6% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.5%33.6–45.7 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.9%7.9–12.1 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 63.6%59–67.9 | 68.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.6%52.8–60.4 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.1%74.1–79.9 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 64.5%60.7–68 | 68% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.8%53.7–63.8 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 66.9%57.9–74.9 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.8%16.9–23.1 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.6%29.6–39.7 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.1%25.1–33.4 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.2%15–21.8 | 14.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.2%12.8–18 | 12.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.2%8.7–12 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.7%10–13.6 | 9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.4%9.1–13.9 | 10.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.1%26.1–34.6 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11%9.5–12.9 | 11.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.9%13.8–18.2 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.6–8.4 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.6–6 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7.2–9.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.9–3.8 | 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 Nome
Is Nome a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nome is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #30 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 28%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Nome?
CDC estimates 33% of adults have obesity, likely between 27% and 39.4%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Nome?
Norton Sound Regional Hospital in Nome, 27.7 miles in a straight line from Nome’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Nome have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.9–12.1%), 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 Nome 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 Nome.
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.