Huntsville, Alabama is a vibrant city with a population of 197,582 people according to the 2019 US Census Bureau estimates. The city boasts excellent health care through its various local hospitals and medical facilities. Huntsville Hospital is one of the leading hospitals in Alabama and consistently ranks high in patient satisfaction surveys. Other top hospitals in the area include Crestwood Medical Center, Madison Hospital, and Athens-Limestone Hospital. In addition to these larger facilities, there are several smaller clinics that provide quality healthcare for the citizens of Huntsville. Furthermore, Huntsville has a wide range of specialists to provide specialized care on a variety of issues ranging from mental health to orthopedic care. With all these resources available, it's no surprise that the residents of Huntsville enjoy overall good health and access to quality medical services.
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 231 physicians per 100,000 population in Huntsville. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Huntsville area is 108.0 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
108.0 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Huntsville area is 1 (100=best). The US average is 55.
1 / 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 Huntsville area is 93 (100=best). The US average is 87.
93 / 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 Huntsville commutes 19.0 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 Huntsville area is 49 (100=best). The US average is 58.
49 / 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.