The city of Decatur, AL is located in the northern part of the state and has a population of around 56,000 people. The city offers access to a variety of health care services through several local hospitals and medical facilities. Decatur Morgan Hospital is a full-service community hospital that provides comprehensive medical care, as well as specialized services such as orthopedic surgery, radiation therapy, women's health services and more. Decatur General Hospital is also available for those seeking emergency care and acute care services. In addition to these two hospitals there are urgent care centers, rehabilitation centers, physical therapy centers and other specialized medical facilities located throughout the city. These health care centers provide an array of treatments from primary to specialty care to meet the needs of all residents in Decatur. Overall, Decatur offers quality health care options for its citizens so they can access necessary medical help when needed.
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 151 physicians per 100,000 population in Decatur (zip 35603). The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Decatur (zip 35603) area is 103.6 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
103.6 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Decatur (zip 35603) area is 30 (100=best). The US average is 55.
30 / 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 Decatur (zip 35603) area is 93 (100=best). The US average is 87.
93 / 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 Decatur (zip 35603) commutes 23.7 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 Decatur (zip 35603) area is 50 (100=best). The US average is 58.
50 / 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.