Photo: Malcolm Manners · CC BY 2.0Within Alaska, South Lakes is healthier than 42% of graded towns
South Lakes differs from Alaska on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for South Lakes. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in South Lakes
South Lakes is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
South 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 ↓
Alaska sets a high bar
South Lakes is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, but only 43% of the 41 Alaska towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Fewer South Lakes adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Alaska. 1 in 9 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 South Lakes’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind South Lakes’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, South Lakes is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, #24 of 41 in Alaska. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 93% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). South Lakes’ median household income is $98,141; among the 8,847 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($74K–$123K), it’s healthier than 59%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near South Lakes
No hospital or community health center in South Lakes 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 South 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.8% of South Lakes adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Out of every 100 South Lakes adults…
South Lakes runs above AK on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of South 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.
0.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of South Lakes adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How South Lakes adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 South 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.
South Lakes and the towns around it
South Lakes’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Lakes | B+ | 36.3% | 8.7% | 15.6% | CDC place |
| North Lakes | B | 36.9% | 8.6% | 16.9% | CDC place |
| Gateway | A− | 35.6% | 7.4% | 14.3% | 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 South Lakes adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for South Lakes
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, South Lakes is better than Alaska on 4 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside South Lakes’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | South Lakes | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.1%14.9–19.3 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.6–14.7 | 13.1% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%13.9–17.5 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.3%31.7–40.6 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.7%7.5–9.9 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.8%28.8–34.6 | 32.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36%32.6–38.9 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.7%24.1–29.2 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–11.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8%7.3–8.7 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.2–6.5 | 5.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.4%5.5–7.2 | 6.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.3%9.2–13.7 | 13.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.6%13.3–17.9 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.3%18.1–24.4 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.1%13.8–18.5 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.2%29.4–37.2 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.5%7.1–10 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.8%68.4–74.6 | 68.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.9%57.7–64.1 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.6%79.5–83.4 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.4%64.9–71.3 | 68% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.3%57.4–65.2 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 66.9%60.2–73.2 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.7%19–24.4 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%28.4–35.6 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.9%20.8–26.9 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.1%9.4–13.1 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.3%8.9–12 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.8–7.8 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.5%6.6–8.5 | 9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.8%6.4–9.3 | 10.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.9%27.4–34.3 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.7%10.1–13.3 | 11.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.9%12.2–15.5 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.8 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.6–4.4 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.4–8.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 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 South Lakes
Is South Lakes a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, South Lakes is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #24 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 59%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in South Lakes?
CDC estimates 36.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.7% and 40.6%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to South Lakes?
Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer, 2.5 miles in a straight line from South Lakes’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in South Lakes have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–10%), 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 South 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 South 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.