Rensselaer, NY is a small city in New York State with a population of just over 9,500 people. Despite its size, the city has access to a variety of health care facilities and services for its residents. There are several local hospitals including Samaritan Hospital and Albany Medical Center that provide medical services in the area. Additionally, there are multiple local medical facilities for those seeking primary care services as well as specialized care such as physical therapy or nutritional counseling. The city also has plenty of pharmacies to easily fill prescriptions and purchase over-the-counter medications. Furthermore, there are numerous public health initiatives in place to promote healthy living by providing nutrition education and regular screenings such as diabetes checks and cancer screenings. In this way, Rensselaer is able to provide comprehensive health care options for its citizens.
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 132 physicians per 100,000 population in Rensselaer. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Rensselaer area is 91.9 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
91.9 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Rensselaer area is 40 (100=best). The US average is 55.
40 / 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 Rensselaer area is 86 (100=best). The US average is 87.
86 / 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 Rensselaer commutes 22.3 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 Rensselaer area is 60 (100=best). The US average is 58.
60 / 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.