Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, North Pole is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns
North Pole differs from Alaska on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for North Pole. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in North Pole
North Pole is short on dental care and mental health care
North Pole’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Heart disease and COPD are less common in North Pole
North Pole runs below Alaska on six chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (4.2% vs 5.7%), COPD (4.7% vs 6.1%) and stroke (2.4% vs 3.1%). A young population is part of it: only 8% of residents are 65 or older (Alaska 14%). 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 North Pole’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind North Pole’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Pole is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 98% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 53%.
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 Pole’s median household income is $92,273; among the 9,677 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 77%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near North Pole
No hospital or community health center in North Pole 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 North Pole; ≈ 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 Pole adults…
North Pole runs below AK on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of North Pole residents are 65 or older, vs 14% across Alaska. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
7.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of North Pole adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How North Pole adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 North Pole 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.
7.9% of North Pole adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
North Pole 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Pole | A− | 34.6% | 7.3% | 14% | CDC place |
| Badger | B+ | 36.1% | 7.7% | 15.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of North Pole adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for North Pole
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, North Pole is better than Alaska on 11 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside North Pole’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | North Pole | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.8%13.7–18.2 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%10.2–13.2 | 13.1% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%14.8–19.1 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.6%30.2–39.6 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.3%6.3–8.3 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.1%25.4–31 | 32.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.6%27.7–33.7 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 18.5%16.4–20.6 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.2%3.7–4.8 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4–5.4 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.1–2.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.5%5.2–7.9 | 13.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14%11.7–16.6 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21%17.8–24.5 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.8%16.1–21.6 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.6%33.4–41.9 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.9%7.8–12.3 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 64.4%60.6–68 | 68.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.6%59.4–65.7 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.3%74.4–80.1 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 62.9%59.7–65.8 | 68% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.3%57.1–65.3 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 62.3%54.8–69.1 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.6%18.9–24.8 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.4%31.4–39.5 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.8%23.4–30.5 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.5%9.5–13.9 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11%9.2–12.9 | 12.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.8%5.8–8 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%6.9–9.4 | 9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.9%6.3–9.8 | 10.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.9%24.6–31.6 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9%7.8–10.3 | 11.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.2%12.2–16.3 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.7 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.3–4.2 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.1–8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–2.9 | 3.3% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Pole
Is North Pole a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Pole is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 77%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in North Pole?
CDC estimates 34.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.2% and 39.6%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to North Pole?
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Fairbanks, 12.4 miles in a straight line from North Pole’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in North Pole have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–12.3%), 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 Pole more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in North Pole.
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.