The health of the local population in 71261 Mer Rouge, LA is an important factor to consider for the community. The area is home to a number of hospitals and medical facilities that are available for residents to access necessary healthcare services. These include Mer Rouge General Hospital, Richwood Medical Center and Richwood Urgent Care. In addition to these medical facilities, the local government provides additional resources such as support from public health nurses and access to free clinics for those in need. In general, the availability of healthcare services in Mer Rouge is considered quite good when compared with other parts of Louisiana. The local authorities have also been working hard to ensure that all residents have access to quality healthcare and services which can help improve people's overall health and wellbeing.
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 64 physicians per 100,000 population in Mer Rouge (zip 71261). The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Mer Rouge (zip 71261) area is 103.8 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
103.8 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Mer Rouge (zip 71261) 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 Mer Rouge (zip 71261) area is 97 (100=best). The US average is 87.
97 / 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 Mer Rouge (zip 71261) commutes 23.9 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 Mer Rouge (zip 71261) area is 62 (100=best). The US average is 58.
62 / 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.