Shishmaref, AK health
Shishmaref differs from Alaska on 26 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (5.1% vs 7%). Where it trails the state: more adults facing food insecurity (43.7% vs 14.3%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for ShishmarefNot graded
Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 466 people are less certain, so we show Shishmaref's figures without a grade.
How Shishmaref 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
Habits
Care & screenings
Mind & connection
Everyday needs
Disability
Out of every 100 Shishmaref adults…
Bars show Shishmaref; the black tick is Alaska. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
AK 21.7%
AK 35.1%
AK 17.6%
AK 16%
Keeping up with care
Share of Shishmaref adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Shishmaref adults are doing
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
35.6% of Shishmaref adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Living with a disability
of Shishmaref adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Black tick: Alaska. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Care in and near Shishmaref
1 community health center in Shishmaref, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Shishmaref. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Shishmaref
| Measure | Shishmaref | Margin | Alaska | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 38.1% | 34.3–42.2% | 32.5% | worse |
| High cholesterol | 33.5% | 29.8–37.5% | 33.4% | about the same |
| Obesity | 42.5% | 35.9–49.7% | 35.5% | worse |
| Arthritis | 25.1% | 22.3–28.1% | 23.3% | about the same |
| Depression | 20.8% | 17.7–24.3% | 20.7% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 30.5% | 25.9–35.5% | 13.5% | worse |
| Asthma | 13.6% | 12–15.4% | 10.6% | worse |
| Cancer (not skin) | 5.1% | 4.6–5.8% | 7% | better |
| Diabetes | 16.9% | 14.8–19.2% | 9.4% | worse |
| COPD | 11.5% | 9.7–13.5% | 6.1% | worse |
| Heart disease | 9.1% | 8–10.3% | 5.7% | worse |
| Stroke | 5.7% | 5–6.5% | 3.1% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 35.7% | 30.6–40.9% | 16% | worse |
| Binge drink | 17.7% | 14.6–21% | 17.6% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 35.2% | 29.8–41.2% | 21.7% | worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 45.4% | 39.1–51.9% | 35.1% | worse |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 64% | 59.3–68.4% | 68.8% | worse |
| Dentist visit | 35.1% | 31.6–38.6% | 59.7% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 68.6% | 64.8–72.3% | 79.6% | worse |
| Colon screening | 48.1% | 42.4–53.9% | 59.2% | worse |
| Mammogram | 56% | 46.4–65.2% | 66% | worse |
| Taking BP meds | 68.3% | 64.9–71.5% | 68% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 16% | 12.3–20.4% | 10% | worse |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 37.4% | 31.9–42.9% | 33.3% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 34.3% | 29.3–39.5% | 25.4% | worse |
| Frequent mental distress | 22.5% | 19.7–25.6% | 16.1% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 35.8% | 30.9–41.2% | 18.6% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 21.1% | 18.3–24.2% | 13.1% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 43.7% | 36.7–50.4% | 14.3% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 29.1% | 24.4–33.8% | 12.3% | worse |
| Utility shut-off threat | 23.1% | 19.7–26.5% | 8.2% | worse |
| No reliable transportation | 25.8% | 22–29.6% | 9% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 35.6% | 29.2–41.9% | 10.1% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 47% | 41.4–52.9% | 29.6% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 22.2% | 19.1–25.6% | 11.9% | |
| Thinking or memory | 24% | 20.5–28% | 14% | |
| Hearing | 13% | 11.6–14.7% | 7.7% | |
| Vision | 13.1% | 11.3–15.1% | 4.7% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 7.6% | 6.4–8.9% | 3.3% | |
| Errands alone | 16.2% | 13.8–18.9% | 7.6% | |
How CDC estimates town health
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.