Etowah County, Alabama is a rural county located in the northeastern part of the state. It covers an area of approximately 534 square miles and has a population of 104,430 people. Due to its rural location, access to quality health care can be challenging for those living in the area. Fortunately, there are several hospitals and medical facilities available for residents who need medical care. Gadsden Regional Medical Center is one such facility that offers comprehensive services including emergency care, surgery, cardiac care, cancer treatment and more. In addition to Gadsden Regional Medical Center, there is Riverview Regional Medical Center which offers medical services ranging from urgent care to radiology and radiation oncology. Other local hospitals and health centers provide primary care services such as family medicine and pediatrics. These facilities allow residents access to quality health care in Etowah County with convenient locations throughout the county.
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 193 physicians per 100,000 population in Etowah County. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Etowah County area is 107.7 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
107.7 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Etowah County area is 85 (100=best). The US average is 55.
85 / 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 Etowah County area is 90 (100=best). The US average is 87.
90 / 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 Etowah County commutes 24.0 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 Etowah County area is 48 (100=best). The US average is 58.
48 / 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.