Photo: John Bortniak · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Petersburg is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns
Petersburg differs from Alaska on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Petersburg. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Petersburg
Petersburg is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Petersburg is healthier than 73%. Against the 10,621 towns with similar household incomes ($54K–$89K), it’s healthier than 89%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and heart disease run high in Petersburg
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.1%), vs 7% across Alaska. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7%), vs 5.7% across Alaska. In all, Petersburg runs above Alaska on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Petersburg is short on dental care and mental health care
Petersburg’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 ↓
Fewer Petersburg adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Alaska. 1 in 10 adults worry about keeping their housing, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Petersburg’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Petersburg’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Petersburg is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns, #21 of 41 in Alaska. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 83% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 44%).
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). Petersburg’s median household income is $71,369; among the 10,621 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$89K), it’s healthier than 89%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Alaska towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Petersburg is healthier than 50% of graded towns, against 72% nationally.
Out of every 100 Petersburg adults…
Petersburg runs above AK on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Petersburg
No hospital or community health center in Petersburg 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 Petersburg; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.1% of Petersburg adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
22 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Petersburg adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Petersburg adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 Petersburg 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.
Petersburg and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petersburg | B+ | 31.3% | 10.1% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| Kupreanof | — | — | — | — |
Kupreanof: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Petersburg adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Petersburg
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Petersburg is better than Alaska on 4 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Petersburg’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Petersburg | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.3%15.4–21.7 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.6–15.5 | 13.1% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13–16.9 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.3%24.2–39.1 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.1%8.6–11.8 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%31.2–39.9 | 32.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.6%32.1–41.1 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.3%24–30.9 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.2%9–11.5 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.1–10 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.1–8 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.1%6–8.5 | 6.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.1–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.8%11.1–16.6 | 13.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%12.7–18.4 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.3%17.2–25.8 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%14.2–20.8 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.9%26.1–37.8 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.4%7.5–11.8 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.4%63.8–72.7 | 68.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.2%57.2–64.6 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.1%79.5–84.4 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.5%68.9–75.8 | 68% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.2%57.8–68.2 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71%62.5–78.3 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.1%16–22.5 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.2%26.2–36.5 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.4%20.5–28.4 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.8%9.6–14.4 | 14.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10%8.3–11.9 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.6–7.8 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.5%6.4–8.7 | 9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.1%6.4–10.1 | 10.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.1%25.8–34.9 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13%10.9–15.5 | 11.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.3%11.4–15.4 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.8%7.7–10 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4–5.3 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.5–8.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3–4.1 | 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 Petersburg
Is Petersburg a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Petersburg is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #21 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 89%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Petersburg?
CDC estimates 31.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.2% and 39.1%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Petersburg?
Petersburg Medical Center in Petersburg, 15.0 miles in a straight line from Petersburg’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Petersburg have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–11.8%), 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 Petersburg 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 Petersburg.
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.