Homer, AK is a small town located on the Kenai Peninsula with a population of about 5,000. Although it is a small community, Homer has access to several local medical facilities and hospitals that offer quality health services to the residents. The most notable medical facility in Homer is South Peninsula Hospital, which has served the community for over 50 years and provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services. The hospital also offers specialized medical care from experienced providers in fields such as cardiology, orthopedics, neurology, oncology, rehabilitation services and more. In addition to South Peninsula Hospital, there are several other local clinics and other health service providers offering medical care in the Homer region including South Kachemak Bay Medical Center and Alaska Family Health Clinic. With access to quality healthcare centers throughout the town, Homer residents benefit from comprehensive medical attention regardless of their individual needs.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 155 physicians per 100,000 population in Homer. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Homer area is 119.5 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
119.5 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Homer area is 30 (100=best). The US average is 55.
30 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Homer area is 82 (100=best). The US average is 87.
82 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Homer commutes 13.0 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Homer area is 75 (100=best). The US average is 58.
75 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.