Alaska is a vast state with an incredibly diverse landscape, and its health care options reflect that. The state has a range of medical facilities available to its residents, from rural clinics and small hospitals in remote areas to larger hospitals in major cities. Additionally, Alaska is home to some of the best medical research institutions in the nation. These include the University of Alaska Anchorage, Fairbanks Institute for Health Care Research, and Providence Alaska Medical Center. Each of these centers offers specialized care and treatments for a variety of health conditions as well as providing general medical services. With its excellent medical infrastructure combined with stunning natural beauty, Alaska provides residents with quality health care options that are both accessible and affordable.
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 214 physicians per 100,000 population in Alaska. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Alaska area is 116.7 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
116.7 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Alaska area is 63 (100=best). The US average is 55.
63 / 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 Alaska area is 95 (100=best). The US average is 87.
95 / 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 Alaska commutes 18.8 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 Alaska area is 59 (100=best). The US average is 58.
59 / 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.