Health Profile of Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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B
Anchorage Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Anchorage | Alaska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.0 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 9.9% | 11.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 11.0% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Anchorage is 78.0 years, about 1.8 years shorter than the Alaska average of 79.9 years. The uninsured rate is 9.9%, lower than the Alaska average of 11.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 11.0% of residents, lower than the Alaska average of 15.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
82,255 residents in Anchorage are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 2,552 965 men · 1,587 women
- 75–84 8,221 3,617 men · 4,605 women
- 65–74 20,031 9,831 men · 10,200 women
- 50–64 51,452 26,120 men · 25,332 women
Younger residents
65,494 residents in Anchorage are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 18,469 9,311 boys · 9,158 girls
- 7–12 19,536 10,146 boys · 9,390 girls
- 3–7 15,880 8,250 boys · 7,630 girls
- 0–3 11,609 5,936 boys · 5,673 girls
About 7,811 residents in Anchorage (2.7% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Anchorage | Alaska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 7.1% | 10.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.0% | 5.5% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.3% | 6.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 29.2% | 34.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Anchorage is about 31% lower than in Alaska. The rate of diabetes in Anchorage is about 29% lower than in Alaska. The rate of obesity in Anchorage is about 15% lower than in Alaska.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Anchorage | Alaska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 16.5% | 22.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 21.3% | 19.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 18.8% | 23.8% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Anchorage is about 28% lower than in Alaska. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Anchorage is about 21% lower than in Alaska.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 363,086 cigarettes a day, 10.9 million a month, or 132.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 4.0 million minutes a day and 1.5 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Anchorage is 78.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.10 lifetimes a day, or 36 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Anchorage | Alaska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | — | — | 6.09 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Anchorage, Alaska has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Alaska, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Anchorage, Alaska.
Is Anchorage, Alaska a healthy place to live?
Anchorage, Alaska has a Map AI Health Index grade of B, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a B grade means residents are somewhat healthier than the U.S. average.
What is the average lifespan in Anchorage, Alaska?
People in Anchorage, Alaska can expect to live 78.0 years on average, 1.8 years shorter than the Alaska average of 79.9.
What is the uninsured rate in Anchorage, Alaska?
9.9% of residents in Anchorage, Alaska have no health insurance, about 1 in 10 people, 1.2 points below the Alaska rate of 11.0%.
How common is obesity in Anchorage, Alaska?
29.2% of adults in Anchorage, Alaska are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 5.2 points below the Alaska rate of 34.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Anchorage, Alaska go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 363,086 cigarettes a day, 10.9 million a month, or 132.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 4.0 million minutes a day and 1.5 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Anchorage is 78.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.10 lifetimes a day, or 36 lifetimes a year.
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