Health · Sutton-Alpine

Sutton-Alpine, AK health

Sutton-Alpine differs from Alaska on 18 of 40 measures. It has fewer binge drinkers (13.6% vs 17.6%) and more adults getting a yearly checkup (74% vs 68.8%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (9.5% vs 6.1%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Sutton-Alpine
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Sutton-Alpine’s Health Grade: C

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Sutton-Alpine is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns.

CSelf-rated healthC-Physical distressB+Mental distressCObesityB-DiabetesDSmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 31%
Less healthyHealthier
Alaska towns we grade (71)Healthier than 9%
Towns with similar incomes, $56K–$94K (9,885)Healthier than 28%

About what its income would suggest. Sutton-Alpine does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Sutton-Alpine could be anywhere from D to B.
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 Sutton-Alpine 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. Sutton-Alpine 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 Sutton-Alpine 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 Sutton-Alpine adults…

39 of every 100 Sutton-Alpine adults have high blood pressure
Alaska: 33 in 100 · worse · margin 35.3–41.7%

Bars show Sutton-Alpine; the black tick is Alaska. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Sutton-Alpine, betterSutton-Alpine, worseToo close to callAlaska
Get no exerciseshare of adults 26.8% Sutton-Alpine
AK 21.7%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 34.4% Sutton-Alpine
AK 35.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults 13.6% Sutton-Alpine
AK 17.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 20.1% Sutton-Alpine
AK 16%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Sutton-Alpine adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.

74%
Yearly checkup
AK 69%
55%
Dentist visit
AK 60%
83%
Cholesterol check
AK 80%
59%
Colon screening
AK 59%
63%
Mammogram
AK 66%
73%
Taking BP meds
AK 68%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Sutton-Alpine 10% · Alaska 1 in 10 (10%)
Mind & connection

How Sutton-Alpine adults are doing

1 in 3Sutton-Alpine adults feel lonely
31.8% · Alaska 33.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Sutton-Alpine adults have been diagnosed with depression
22% · Alaska 20.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Sutton-Alpine adults lack social or emotional support
25.1% · Alaska 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 6Sutton-Alpine adults are in frequent mental distress
16.2% · Alaska 16.1% · too close to call
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 7
Sutton-Alpine adults worry about having enough food
15.1% · AK 14.3% · about the same
1 in 8
Sutton-Alpine adults worry about keeping their housing
12.3% · AK 12.3% · about the same
1 in 12
Sutton-Alpine adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.4% · AK 8.2% · about the same
1 in 11
Sutton-Alpine adults lack reliable transportation
9.2% · AK 9% · about the same

11.7% of Sutton-Alpine adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.

Disability

Living with a disability

37.2%

of Sutton-Alpine adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.8%
Thinking or memory15.6%
Hearing10.3%
Errands alone9.4%
Vision5.7%
Dressing or bathing4.6%

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

Around Sutton-Alpine

Sutton-Alpine and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Sutton-Alpine.

Chickaloon: 39% Buffalo Soapstone: 36.7% Glacier View: 39.1% Fishhook: 36.6% Farm Loop: 36.4% Sutton-Alpine: 39.5% Sutton-Alpine Chickaloon Buffalo Soapstone C'eyiits' Hwnax Life House Community Health Center · Sutton · 2.2 mi+
36.4%39.5%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#6 of 6towns on this map, healthiest first
Buffalo Soapstone36.7%
Chickaloon39%
Sutton-Alpine39.5%
6 places to get careNearest ER 17.7 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 Sutton-Alpine

1 community health center in Sutton-Alpine, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERMat-Su Regional Medical CenterPalmer · 17.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyProvidence Alaska Medical Center★★★★★ · 49.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSouthcentral FoundationSutton · 2.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.2 mi
Southcentral Foundation
3 sites · nearest in Sutton
Sliding-scale feesIn Sutton-Alpine
Directions to nearest
12.4 mi
Mat-Su Health Services
4 sites · nearest in Palmer
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
17.7 mi
Mat-Su Regional Medical Center
Palmer · ★★★★★
ER
45.2 mi
673rd Medical Group (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)
Jber · not rated
ER
48.4 mi
Alaska Regional Hospital
Anchorage · ★★★★★
ER
49.2 mi
Providence Alaska Medical Center
Anchorage · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careSutton-Alpine's county is a federal shortage area.Denali · need score 13 of 25
! Dental careSutton-Alpine's county is a federal shortage area.Denali · need score 10 of 25
! Mental healthSutton-Alpine's county is a federal shortage area.Denali · need score 12 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 Sutton-Alpine. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Sutton-Alpine
MeasureSutton-AlpineMarginAlaska
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure38.6%35.3–41.7%32.5%worse
High cholesterol40.5%37–43.7%33.4%worse
Obesity39.5%34.7–43.8%35.5%about the same
Arthritis33.2%30.3–35.9%23.3%worse
Depression22%19.1–24.6%20.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)17%14–20.4%13.5%worse
Asthma11.5%10.2–12.7%10.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.3%8.4–10.2%7%worse
Diabetes12%10.4–13.6%9.4%worse
COPD9.5%8.1–11.1%6.1%worse
Heart disease8.2%7.2–9.1%5.7%worse
Stroke4.4%3.9–4.9%3.1%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes20.1%16.9–23.3%16%worse
Binge drink13.6%11.5–15.6%17.6%better
Get no exercise26.8%22.8–30.9%21.7%worse
Sleep under 7 hours34.4%30.6–38.4%35.1%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup74%70.8–76.8%68.8%better
Dentist visit55.2%52–58.5%59.7%worse
Cholesterol check82.5%80.3–84.6%79.6%better
Colon screening58.6%54.4–63%59.2%about the same
Mammogram63%56.1–69.6%66%about the same
Taking BP meds72.7%69.3–75.6%68%better
No health insurance10%8.1–12.1%10%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely31.8%28.4–35.6%33.3%about the same
Lack emotional support25.1%22.1–28.4%25.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress16.2%14.3–18.1%16.1%about the same
Fair or poor health22.7%19.6–26%18.6%worse
Frequent physical distress16.5%14.5–18.6%13.1%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity15.1%12.8–17.8%14.3%about the same
Housing insecurity12.3%10.5–14.2%12.3%about the same
Utility shut-off threat8.4%7.2–9.7%8.2%about the same
No reliable transportation9.2%8–10.5%9%about the same
Receive SNAP11.7%9.7–14.2%10.1%
Disability
Any disability37.2%33.1–41.4%29.6%
Walking or climbing stairs16.8%14.6–19.3%11.9%
Thinking or memory15.6%13.6–17.8%14%
Hearing10.3%9.1–11.4%7.7%
Vision5.7%5–6.5%4.7%
Dressing or bathing4.6%4.1–5.3%3.3%
Errands alone9.4%8.1–10.7%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 Sutton-Alpine door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Alaska figure falls inside it, we don't call Sutton-Alpine better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Sutton-Alpine 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