Photo: Michael Boyter · CC BY 2.0Within Alaska, North Lakes is healthier than 31% of graded towns
On every measure CDC estimates, North Lakes looks like Alaska as a whole.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for North Lakes. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in North Lakes
Alaska sets a high bar
North Lakes is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, but only 31% of the 41 Alaska towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
North Lakes is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
North Lakes’ 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, North Lakes’ lead shrinks
North Lakes is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, but 45% of the 8,333 towns with similar household incomes ($76K–$127K). 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 North Lakes’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind North Lakes’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Lakes is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, #28 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 30%).
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). North Lakes’ median household income is $101,679; among the 8,333 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$127K), it’s healthier than 45%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near North Lakes
1 community health center in North Lakes, 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 North Lakes; ≈ 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 North Lakes adults…
On every condition, North Lakes is about the same as Alaska. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of North Lakes 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.
2.5 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of North Lakes adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How North Lakes adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 North Lakes 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.
9% of North Lakes adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
North Lakes and the towns around it
North Lakes’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Lakes | B | 36.9% | 8.6% | 16.9% | CDC place |
| South Lakes | B+ | 36.3% | 8.7% | 15.6% | CDC place |
| Fishhook | B+ | 36.6% | 8% | 15.7% | CDC place |
| Tanaina | B− | 38.2% | 8.8% | 18.2% | CDC place |
| Farm Loop | A− | 36.4% | 8.5% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Wasilla | C+ | 38.4% | 9.6% | 18.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of North Lakes adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for North Lakes
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, North Lakes is better than Alaska on 0 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside North Lakes’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | North Lakes | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.9%15.8–20 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.9–14.8 | 13.1% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.6–18.1 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.9%32.6–41.1 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.5–9.7 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.8%28–33.5 | 32.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.1%32–38 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.6%23.1–27.8 | 23.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.1 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.2%6.5–7.9 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5–6.2 | 5.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.4%5.6–7.2 | 6.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.3%11–16 | 13.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.9%14.6–19.2 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.8%18.9–24.7 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%14–18.9 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.4%29.5–37.4 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.2%7.7–10.7 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.7%67.2–73.7 | 68.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.2%57.1–63.3 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.4%78–82.4 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 66.3%62.7–69.4 | 68% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.4%54.3–62.7 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 65.5%58.8–72 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.3%19.5–24.9 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.4%29–36 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.5%21.6–27.6 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.5%10.7–14.6 | 14.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.4%9.8–13.2 | 12.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.5%6.5–8.6 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%7.3–9.3 | 9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9%7.6–10.7 | 10.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.1%27.9–34.1 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.6%10.2–13 | 11.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.7%13–16.3 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.8–8.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%3–3.7 | 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 North Lakes
Is North Lakes a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Lakes is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #28 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 45%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in North Lakes?
CDC estimates 36.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.6% and 41.1%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to North Lakes?
Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer, 4.2 miles in a straight line from North Lakes’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in North Lakes have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–10.7%), 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 North Lakes 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 North Lakes.
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.