Photo: Joseph from Cabin On The Road, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Valdez is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Valdez beats Alaska on 2 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Valdez. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Valdez
What’s behind Valdez’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Valdez is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #10 of 41 in Alaska. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 43%).
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). Valdez’s median household income is $99,271; among the 8,717 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($74K–$124K), it’s healthier than 71%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Valdez
No hospital or community health center in Valdez 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 Valdez; ≈ 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 Valdez adults…
Valdez runs below AK on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Valdez residents are 65 or older, vs 14% across Alaska. Stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
38 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Valdez adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Valdez adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 Valdez 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.
8.2% of Valdez adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Valdez and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valdez | A− | 32.1% | 8% | 15.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Valdez adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Valdez
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Valdez is better than Alaska on 2 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Valdez’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Valdez | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.7%14–19.8 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%10.9–14.7 | 13.1% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%13.5–18 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.1%25.4–39 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8%6.7–9.4 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.7%25.8–33.7 | 32.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32%28–36.1 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.6%18.8–24.7 | 23.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.2–11.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.7%6–7.4 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.3–5.7 | 5.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%4.8–6.8 | 6.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.9%9.6–14.6 | 13.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.5%12.5–19 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.6%15.8–24.1 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.9%16.4–23.6 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.2%28.1–40.6 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.1–11.2 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 65.6%60.7–70 | 68.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.9%60.1–67.5 | 59.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.8%77–82.6 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 65.9%61.6–69.7 | 68% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.6%53.4–63.7 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.2%60.7–77 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.1%16.9–23.7 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.6%26.8–36.5 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.3%19.7–27.3 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.1%9.6–14.9 | 14.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%8.8–13 | 12.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.1–8.7 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.6–9.2 | 9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.2%6.3–10.3 | 10.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.3%22.2–31.2 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%8.6–12.2 | 11.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%11.5–15.9 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.5 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.5–4.6 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6–8.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 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 Valdez
Is Valdez a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Valdez is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health, #10 of 41 in Alaska. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 71%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Valdez?
CDC estimates 32.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.4% and 39%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Valdez?
Providence Valdez Medical Center in Valdez, 16.9 miles in a straight line from Valdez’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Valdez have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–11.2%), 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 Valdez 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 Valdez.
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.