Health · Eielson AFB

Eielson AFB, AK health

Eielson AFB differs from Alaska on 20 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (1.6% vs 7%) and fewer adults with heart disease (1.5% vs 5.7%). Where it trails the state: fewer adults treating high blood pressure (33.6% vs 68%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Eielson AFB
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Eielson AFB’s Health Grade: A−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Eielson AFB is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns, and than 94% of towns with similar incomes.

ASelf-rated healthA+Physical distressDMental distressB+ObesityA+DiabetesB+SmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 77%
Less healthyHealthier
Alaska towns we grade (71)Healthier than 77%
Towns with similar incomes, $51K–$85K (9,500)Healthier than 94%

Better than its income would suggest. Eielson AFB is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is A−.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Eielson AFB could be anywhere from B to A.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Alaska ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Eielson AFB with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Eielson AFB uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Eielson AFB compares with Alaska

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Eielson AFB adults…

17 of every 100 Eielson AFB adults have high blood pressure
Alaska: 33 in 100 · better · margin 14.9–19.3%

Bars show Eielson AFB; the black tick is Alaska. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Eielson AFB, betterEielson AFB, worseToo close to callAlaska
Get no exerciseshare of adults 19.6% Eielson AFB
AK 21.7%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 39.1% Eielson AFB
AK 35.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults 22.6% Eielson AFB
AK 17.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 12.8% Eielson AFB
AK 16%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Eielson AFB adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.

56%
Yearly checkup
AK 69%
57%
Dentist visit
AK 60%
64%
Cholesterol check
AK 80%
45%
Colon screening
AK 59%
64%
Mammogram
AK 66%
34%
Taking BP meds
AK 68%
1 in 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
Eielson AFB 13.1% · Alaska 1 in 10 (10%)
Mind & connection

How Eielson AFB adults are doing

1 in 2Eielson AFB adults feel lonely
40.3% · Alaska 33.3% · worse
1 in 4Eielson AFB adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.4% · Alaska 20.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Eielson AFB adults lack social or emotional support
28.5% · Alaska 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Eielson AFB adults are in frequent mental distress
20.3% · Alaska 16.1% · worse
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6
Eielson AFB adults worry about having enough food
15.8% · AK 14.3% · about the same
1 in 7
Eielson AFB adults worry about keeping their housing
14.2% · AK 12.3% · about the same
1 in 11
Eielson AFB adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.8% · AK 8.2% · about the same
1 in 9
Eielson AFB adults lack reliable transportation
11.6% · AK 9% · worse

11.1% of Eielson AFB adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.

Disability

Living with a disability

27.5%

of Eielson AFB adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs4.4%
Thinking or memory17.9%
Hearing3.4%
Errands alone7.6%
Vision3.7%
Dressing or bathing1.8%

Black tick: Alaska. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Eielson AFB

Eielson AFB and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health.

Salcha: 35.6% Moose Creek: 34.1% Harding-Birch Lakes: 37.6% Badger: 36.1% Eielson AFB: 33.4% Eielson AFB Salcha Moose Creek
33.4%37.6%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#1 of 5towns on this map, healthiest first
Eielson AFB33.4%
Moose Creek34.1%
Salcha35.6%
4 places to get careNearest ER 19.9 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Eielson AFB

No hospital or community health center in Eielson AFB itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERBassett Ach (Ft Wainwright)Fort Wainwright · 19.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyFairbanks Memorial Hospital★★★★★ · 22.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careDena Nena HenashFairbanks · 22.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
19.9 mi
Bassett Ach (Ft Wainwright)
Fort Wainwright · not rated
ER
22.5 mi
Dena Nena Henash
4 sites · nearest in Fairbanks
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
22.7 mi
Interior Community Health Center
Fairbanks · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
22.9 mi
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
Fairbanks · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careEielson AFB's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME - Fairbanks North Star Borough · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careEielson AFB's county is a federal shortage area.Fairbanks-North Star Borough · need score 8 of 25
! Mental healthEielson AFB's county is a federal shortage area.Fairbanks-North Star Borough · need score 16 of 25

Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Eielson AFB. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Eielson AFB
MeasureEielson AFBMarginAlaska
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure17%14.9–19.3%32.5%better
High cholesterol18.6%16.3–21.1%33.4%better
Obesity33.4%29–38%35.5%about the same
Arthritis7.6%6.5–8.7%23.3%better
Depression23.4%20.4–26.6%20.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)14%11.4–16.9%13.5%about the same
Asthma10.1%8.9–11.4%10.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)1.6%1.5–1.8%7%better
Diabetes3.1%2.6–3.6%9.4%better
COPD2.5%2.1–3.1%6.1%better
Heart disease1.5%1.3–1.7%5.7%better
Stroke0.9%0.8–1.1%3.1%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes12.8%10.1–15.7%16%better
Binge drink22.6%19.3–26.1%17.6%worse
Get no exercise19.6%16–23.5%21.7%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours39.1%34.9–43.5%35.1%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup56.1%51.9–60.5%68.8%worse
Dentist visit57.4%54–60.6%59.7%about the same
Cholesterol check63.8%59.2–68.1%79.6%worse
Colon screening45.3%40.8–49.7%59.2%worse
Mammogram64.2%57.1–70.8%66%about the same
Taking BP meds33.6%30.2–37.3%68%worse
No health insurance13.1%10.3–16.6%10%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely40.3%36–44.7%33.3%worse
Lack emotional support28.5%24.5–32.5%25.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress20.3%17.5–23.3%16.1%worse
Fair or poor health14.7%12.3–17.7%18.6%better
Frequent physical distress9.4%8–10.9%13.1%better
Everyday needs
Food insecurity15.8%12.6–19.6%14.3%about the same
Housing insecurity14.2%11.7–16.8%12.3%about the same
Utility shut-off threat8.8%7.4–10.4%8.2%about the same
No reliable transportation11.6%9.6–13.6%9%worse
Receive SNAP11.1%8.6–13.9%10.1%
Disability
Any disability27.5%23.3–32%29.6%
Walking or climbing stairs4.4%3.7–5.2%11.9%
Thinking or memory17.9%14.9–21.2%14%
Hearing3.4%2.9–3.9%7.7%
Vision3.7%3.1–4.3%4.7%
Dressing or bathing1.8%1.6–2.1%3.3%
Errands alone7.6%6.3–9.1%7.6%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Eielson AFB door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Alaska figure falls inside it, we don't call Eielson AFB better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Eielson AFB directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Alaska figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/19 · 2025-01-01