On CDC estimates, Prudhoe Bay is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Prudhoe Bay differs from Alaska on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Prudhoe Bay. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Prudhoe Bay
Binge drinking is the habit Prudhoe Bay doesn’t win on
25.6% of adults binge drink, vs 17.6% across Alaska. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
COPD and arthritis are less common in Prudhoe Bay
Prudhoe Bay runs below Alaska on eight chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.1% vs 6.1%), arthritis (15.9% vs 23.3%) and stroke (2.2% vs 3.1%). A young population is part of it: only 3% of residents are 65 or older (Alaska 14%). Conditions ↓
Prudhoe Bay is short on primary care and mental health care
Prudhoe Bay’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Fewer Prudhoe Bay adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Alaska. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 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 Prudhoe Bay’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Prudhoe Bay’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Prudhoe Bay is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 98% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 21%).
Everyday habits, side by side with Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
Out of every 100 Prudhoe Bay adults…
Prudhoe Bay runs below AK on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 3% of Prudhoe Bay residents are 65 or older, vs 14% across Alaska. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Prudhoe Bay
Where Prudhoe Bay stands on federal shortage areas.
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 Prudhoe Bay; ≈ 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.
5.1% of Prudhoe Bay adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Keeping up with care
Share of Prudhoe Bay adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Prudhoe Bay adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Prudhoe Bay does better than Alaska.
3 in 10 Prudhoe Bay 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.
Prudhoe Bay and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prudhoe Bay | A− | 40% | 7.6% | 16% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Prudhoe Bay adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Prudhoe Bay
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Prudhoe Bay is better than Alaska on 16 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Prudhoe Bay’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Prudhoe Bay | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.3%11.8–16.9 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.7%9–12.4 | 13.1% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.6–15.5 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40%32.7–48.3 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.6%6.3–9 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.3%27.2–35.8 | 32.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31%27.1–35.5 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 15.9%13.4–18.6 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 7.7%6.7–8.8 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.1%4.5–5.9 | 7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.4%3.7–5.1 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.1%3.3–5 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.2%1.8–2.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.5%8.2–13.2 | 13.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16%12.4–19.3 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 17.7%13.9–21.8 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 25.6%21.4–30.6 | 17.6% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35%28.7–41.8 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10%8.2–12.1 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 61.3%56.2–66.6 | 68.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.9%59.1–66.7 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.3%75.4–81.1 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 61%56.3–65.7 | 68% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.3%49.5–60.8 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.9%58.8–76.4 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.7%13.1–18.7 | 20.7% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 29.2%24.5–34.4 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27%22.7–31.5 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.6%7.6–11.8 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.4%7.7–11.4 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.1%5–7.3 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.5%5.5–7.6 | 9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.1%3.9–6.3 | 10.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.4%18.4–26.6 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.3%5.8–8.9 | 11.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.6%9.8–13.5 | 14% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5–6.8 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.8–3.7 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.9%4.2–5.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.1–2.9 | 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 Prudhoe Bay
Is Prudhoe Bay a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Prudhoe Bay is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Prudhoe Bay?
CDC estimates 40% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.7% and 48.3%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
How many people in Prudhoe Bay have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.2–12.1%), 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 Prudhoe Bay 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 Prudhoe Bay.
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.