Willow, AK health
Willow differs from Alaska on 20 of 40 measures. It has fewer binge drinkers (12.5% vs 17.6%) and fewer adults facing housing insecurity (9.4% vs 12.3%). Where it trails the state: more adults with heart disease (9.4% vs 5.7%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for WillowWillow’s Health Grade: C+
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Willow is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns.
Wealth explains part of the grade. Willow is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.
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 Willow 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. Willow 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.
How Willow 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 Willow adults…
Bars show Willow; 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 Willow adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
How Willow 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.
9.1% of Willow adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Living with a disability
of Willow adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Black tick: Alaska. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Willow 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 Willow.
Obesity
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.
Care in and near Willow
1 community health center in Willow, 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 Willow. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Willow
| Measure | Willow | Margin | Alaska | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 42.3% | 38.7–45.8% | 32.5% | worse |
| High cholesterol | 44% | 40.3–47.5% | 33.4% | worse |
| Obesity | 38.7% | 33.9–43.2% | 35.5% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 36.6% | 33.1–39.7% | 23.3% | worse |
| Depression | 20.5% | 17.7–23.1% | 20.7% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 17% | 14–20.6% | 13.5% | worse |
| Asthma | 10.7% | 9.5–11.9% | 10.6% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 11.2% | 10.1–12.4% | 7% | worse |
| Diabetes | 13% | 11–14.9% | 9.4% | worse |
| COPD | 9.7% | 7.8–11.6% | 6.1% | worse |
| Heart disease | 9.4% | 8.1–10.7% | 5.7% | worse |
| Stroke | 4.6% | 4–5.3% | 3.1% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.7% | 14.2–21.5% | 16% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 12.5% | 10.6–14.5% | 17.6% | better |
| Get no exercise | 25.1% | 20.9–29.6% | 21.7% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7% | 28.9–36.8% | 35.1% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 77.1% | 74.2–79.7% | 68.8% | better |
| Dentist visit | 56.7% | 53.4–59.9% | 59.7% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 86.6% | 84.5–88.4% | 79.6% | better |
| Colon screening | 61.5% | 57.5–65.6% | 59.2% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 67.6% | 60.9–73.7% | 66% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 76.1% | 72.5–79% | 68% | better |
| No health insurance | 7.7% | 6–9.8% | 10% | better |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 28.6% | 25.2–32.4% | 33.3% | better |
| Lack emotional support | 22.2% | 19.1–25.6% | 25.4% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 13.9% | 12.2–15.8% | 16.1% | better |
| Fair or poor health | 21.4% | 17.8–25.3% | 18.6% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 16.1% | 13.8–18.5% | 13.1% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 11.6% | 9.2–14.5% | 14.3% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 9.4% | 7.7–11.3% | 12.3% | better |
| Utility shut-off threat | 6.7% | 5.6–7.9% | 8.2% | better |
| No reliable transportation | 7.2% | 6.1–8.6% | 9% | better |
| Receive SNAP | 9.1% | 7–11.6% | 10.1% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.8% | 31.1–40.3% | 29.6% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 17.1% | 14.2–20.1% | 11.9% | |
| Thinking or memory | 13.2% | 11.2–15.4% | 14% | |
| Hearing | 11.3% | 9.8–12.8% | 7.7% | |
| Vision | 5.2% | 4.4–6.2% | 4.7% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.6% | 3.8–5.5% | 3.3% | |
| Errands alone | 8.4% | 7–9.9% | 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.