The city of Austin, Minnesota is located in the Mower County of south central Minnesota. It has a population of approximately 24,000 people, and is the home to one of the largest meat-processing plants in the world. The area boasts many medical facilities that provide high quality healthcare to its residents. These include both large hospitals such as Mayo Clinic Health System and smaller clinics like Austin Medical Center. Many of these facilities offer specialty care and a wide range of services including primary care, preventive care, emergency care, radiology services, obstetrics/gynecology services, mental health treatments and more. Additionally, there are numerous community health centers dedicated to providing low-cost health resources to those who may not be able to afford traditional healthcare costs. All in all Austin has an excellent healthcare system that is outfitted with some of the best medical equipment available while also offering affordable options for those who may need it most.
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 115 physicians per 100,000 population in Austin Metro Area. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Austin Metro Area area is 84.8 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
84.8 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Austin Metro Area area is 60 (100=best). The US average is 55.
60 / 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 Austin Metro Area area is 96 (100=best). The US average is 87.
96 / 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 Austin Metro Area commutes 17.9 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 Austin Metro Area area is 69 (100=best). The US average is 58.
69 / 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.