Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Willow is healthier than 24%
Willow differs from Alaska on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Willow. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Willow
Heart disease, cancer and COPD run high in Willow
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.4%), vs 5.7% across Alaska. 1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.2%), vs 7% across Alaska. COPD is also above the state: 9.7%, vs 6.1% across Alaska. In all, Willow runs above Alaska on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Willow is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Willow’s 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 ↓
More high blood pressure in Willow, and more people treating it
42.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Alaska 32.5%), but 76.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 68% statewide. Checkups ↓
The nearest ER is 25 miles from Willow
The closest emergency room is Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer, 25.4 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Sunshine Community Health Center Incorporated is closer (17.7 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Willow adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (28.6% vs 33.3%) and frequent mental distress (13.9% vs 16.1%) both run below Alaska. Mind & connection ↓
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 Willow’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Willow’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Willow is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 90% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Willow’s median household income is $89,000; among the 10,075 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$111K), it’s healthier than 24%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where Willow compares well: binge drinking, 12.5% (U.S. 15.4%); no health insurance (ages 18–64), 7.7% (U.S. 11%); feel lonely, 28.6% (U.S. 32.5%).
Out of every 100 Willow adults…
Willow runs above AK on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Willow
1 community health center in Willow, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Willow; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Willow adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Willow adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Willow does better than Alaska.
3 in 10 Willow 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
102 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.1% of Willow adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Willow and the towns around it
Willow’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willow | C+ | 38.7% | 13% | 17.7% | CDC place |
| Susitna North | C | 40.5% | 13% | 19.7% | CDC place |
| Big Lake | C+ | 39.3% | 11.5% | 19.8% | CDC place |
| Meadow Lakes | B− | 38.5% | 9.4% | 19% | CDC place |
| Fishhook | B+ | 36.6% | 8% | 15.7% | CDC place |
| Houston | C− | 42.2% | 12% | 24% | CDC place |
| Tanaina | B− | 38.2% | 8.8% | 18.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Willow adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Willow
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Willow is better than Alaska on 10 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Willow’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Willow | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.4%17.8–25.3 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%13.8–18.5 | 13.1% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.2–15.8 | 16.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.7%33.9–43.2 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11–14.9 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.3%38.7–45.8 | 32.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44%40.3–47.5 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 36.6%33.1–39.7 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–11.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.2%10.1–12.4 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.4%8.1–10.7 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.7%7.8–11.6 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4–5.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17%14–20.6 | 13.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.7%14.2–21.5 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.1%20.9–29.6 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.5%10.6–14.5 | 17.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7%28.9–36.8 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.7%6–9.8 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.1%74.2–79.7 | 68.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.7%53.4–59.9 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.6%84.5–88.4 | 79.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.1%72.5–79 | 68% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.5%57.5–65.6 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.6%60.9–73.7 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.5%17.7–23.1 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.6%25.2–32.4 | 33.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.2%19.1–25.6 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.6%9.2–14.5 | 14.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.4%7.7–11.3 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.6–7.9 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.2%6.1–8.6 | 9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.1%7–11.6 | 10.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.8%31.1–40.3 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.1%14.2–20.1 | 11.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.2%11.2–15.4 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.3%9.8–12.8 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.4–6.2 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7–9.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%3.8–5.5 | 3.3% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Willow
Is Willow a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Willow is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns: C+ 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 Willow?
CDC estimates 38.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.9% and 43.2%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Willow?
Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer, 25.4 miles in a straight line from Willow’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Willow have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6–9.8%), 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 Willow more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Willow.
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.