Chief Shakes Historic Site · Photo: James Crippen · CC BY 2.5Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Wrangell is healthier than 62%
Wrangell differs from Alaska on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wrangell. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wrangell
Heart disease, COPD and stroke run high in Wrangell
1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.5%), vs 5.7% across Alaska. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.9%), vs 6.1% across Alaska. Stroke is also above the state: 4.5%, vs 3.1% across Alaska. In all, Wrangell runs above Alaska on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Alaska 14%), and heart disease, COPD and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Wrangell, and more people treating it
38.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Alaska 32.5%), but 74.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 68% statewide. Checkups ↓
Wrangell is short on dental care and mental health care
Wrangell’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 ↓
Wrangell is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Wrangell is healthier than 43%. Against the 9,686 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 62%. Health Grade ↓
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 Wrangell’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Wrangell’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wrangell is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 71% of U.S. towns); smoking 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). Wrangell’s median household income is $63,750; among the 9,686 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 62%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Wrangell adults…
Wrangell runs above AK on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Wrangell is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 14% across Alaska. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Wrangell as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Wrangell adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
Care in and near Wrangell
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Wrangell, 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 Wrangell; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
192 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Wrangell adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 Wrangell 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.
10.4% of Wrangell adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Wrangell and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrangell | C+ | 35.8% | 12.1% | 18% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wrangell adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wrangell
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wrangell is better than Alaska on 2 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Wrangell’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wrangell | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22%18.7–25.5 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%13.8–18.2 | 13.1% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%13.9–17.9 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.8%28.2–44 | 35.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.4–14 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 38.9%34.5–43.5 | 32.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.2%34.7–44 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 30.1%26.4–34 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.6 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.7%8.8–10.8 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.5–9.7 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.9%7.5–10.4 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4–5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15%12.4–18 | 13.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%15.1–21.1 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.9%19.5–28.7 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13–19.1 | 17.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.2%28.7–42 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.6%7.8–11.7 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.6%66.4–74.7 | 68.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.1%53.1–61.1 | 59.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.9%80.6–85 | 79.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.4%70.9–77.8 | 68% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.7%58.3–68.8 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 65.5%56.4–74.2 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.5%16.3–23.1 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.3%26.4–36.5 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.7%21–28.6 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.4%11.9–17.3 | 14.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.4%9.7–13.4 | 12.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8%6.8–9.2 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9%7.8–10.3 | 9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.4%8.4–12.7 | 10.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34%29.3–39 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.2%13.7–18.9 | 11.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%12.8–17 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.6%9.3–11.9 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.8%5.1–6.6 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%7.8–10.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%3.9–5.2 | 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 Wrangell
Is Wrangell a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wrangell is healthier than 43% 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 Wrangell?
CDC estimates 35.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.2% and 44%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
How many people in Wrangell have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–11.7%), 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 Wrangell more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Wrangell.
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.