Portland, Oregon is a vibrant and diverse city with a health care system that serves the needs of its residents. The area offers several hospitals and medical facilities, providing access to a range of services ranging from primary care to specialty care. These facilities provide quality healthcare for both adults and children, including immunizations, preventative screenings, diagnosis and treatments for illnesses and injuries. In addition, many local clinics offer community-based services such as health education classes, financial assistance programs, and support groups for patients with chronic illnesses. Furthermore, Portland has a wide variety of mental health services available in both private practice settings and through the public mental health system. With all these resources available to its citizens, Portland prides itself on having an excellent health care system that provides accessible and comprehensive care to its population.
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 376 physicians per 100,000 population in Portland. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Portland area is 83.5 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
83.5 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Portland area is 52 (100=best). The US average is 55.
52 / 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 Portland area is 87 (100=best). The US average is 87.
87 / 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 Portland commutes 26.1 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 Portland area is 21 (100=best). The US average is 58.
21 / 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.