Ruby, AK is a small town with a population of about 230 people. Although there is limited access to medical facilities in the area, local hospitals and medical facilities are well-equipped to handle many types of health needs. The Ruby Memorial Hospital provides primary care services for all age groups and they have an on-site laboratory for diagnostics testing and prescriptive treatments. There is also the Ruby Primary Care Clinic which offers preventative health screenings such as mammograms, colonoscopies, and flu shots. Additionally, the clinic offers physical therapy services as well as mental health counseling services. Furthermore, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium - Ruby branch offers a variety of specialized healthcare programs that provide primary care services for elders, women's health care, behavioral health care, dental care, diabetes management programs, vision service programs, and more. With these options available in the community it provides residents with access to quality healthcare without having to leave their home town of Ruby.
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 18 physicians per 100,000 population in Ruby. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Ruby area is 118.4 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
118.4 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Ruby area is 84 (100=best). The US average is 55.
84 / 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 Ruby area is 3 (100=best). The US average is 87.
3 / 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 Ruby commutes 8.4 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 Ruby 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.