Big Bend National Park, located in 79834, is a remote and isolated area with limited access to healthcare. Although there is no exact population of the park, it covers over 800,000 acres of land and is home to thousands of visitors every year. In terms of healthcare services, there are no local hospitals or medical facilities available inside the park. However, visitors can seek medical care through Big Bend Regional Medical Center in Alpine, TX which is about an hour’s drive away. The facility provides a wide range of health services from primary care to specialty care and offers emergency room services 24/7. Additionally, due to its remote location, Big Bend National Park is widely known for its clean air quality and natural beauty that attracts people from all around the world for recreational activities such as camping, horseback riding and hiking. Thus it provides ample opportunity for people to stay active and healthy while enjoying nature.
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 109 physicians per 100,000 population in Big Bend National Park (zip 79834). The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Big Bend National Park (zip 79834) area is 105.7 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
105.7 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Big Bend National Park (zip 79834) area is 50 (100=best). The US average is 55.
50 / 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 Big Bend National Park (zip 79834) area is 91 (100=best). The US average is 87.
91 / 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 Big Bend National Park (zip 79834) commutes 13.8 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 Big Bend National Park (zip 79834) area is 84 (100=best). The US average is 58.
84 / 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.