Petersburg, Alaska is a small town located on Mitkof Island in Southeast Alaska. The population of Petersburg was 2,681 as of the 2019 census estimate. Although the town is relatively small, it has access to quality healthcare with two local hospitals and several medical facilities. Petersburg Medical Center provides medical care for the entire region with general care services, emergency care, and specialty services. The Petersburg Indian Association Health Center also offers primary care services along with behavioral health counseling and substance abuse therapy. In addition to these resources, there are numerous clinics in the area that cater to specific medical needs like dentistry and mental health services. All of these medical resources provide residents of Petersburg with comprehensive healthcare options.
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 157 physicians per 100,000 population in Petersburg. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Petersburg area is 116.6 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
116.6 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Petersburg area is 29 (100=best). The US average is 55.
29 / 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 Petersburg 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 Petersburg commutes 0.0 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 Petersburg area is 85 (100=best). The US average is 58.
85 / 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.