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ZIP code

99826

in Gustavus, AlaskaPopulation 594

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

49.21/ 100

Ranked #17,374 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 46%)

Ranked #53 of 211 Alaska ZIPs (top 25%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Broad coverage across health domains

What defines this ZIP

Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.

Distance to a Superfund site

223.9 mi

in the top 0.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST51st
US99th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a nursing home

40.8 mi

in the top 0.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST36th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.

Full methodology ›

Distance to an emergency room

40.8 mi

in the top 1.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST31st
US99th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.

Full methodology ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

10 per million

in the bottom 2.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST74th
US3rd
Definition & source ›

The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.

Full methodology ›

Energy-cost burden

5.7%

in the top 3.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST31st
US96th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.

A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.

Full methodology ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the bottom 4.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST33rd
US5th
Definition & source ›

FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.

Full methodology ›

Mammography

67.4%

in the bottom 6.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST85th
US6th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility

16.1 mi

in the top 7.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST32nd
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.

Full methodology ›

Park land

18.7%

in the top 7.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST88th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.

Full methodology ›

The read

Gustavus, Alaska (ZIP 99826), by its composite score, sits in the bottom 46% nationally (17,374th) and the top 25% of Alaska (53rd), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

The measures that matter most for this area lead the way: distance to a nursing home lands in the top 0.9% nationally, and distance to an emergency room stands in the top 1.1% nationally. Modeled energy burden registers in the top 3.9% nationally, and mammography settles in the bottom 6.3% nationally. On the better side, distance to a Superfund site sits in the top 0.8% nationally, modeled transportation noise lies at the national minimum, and modeled air-toxics cancer risk rests in the bottom 2.8% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss resides in the bottom 4.6% nationally, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is in the top 7.2% nationally, and park land lands in the top 7.4% nationally.

Next to the surrounding area, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For anyone unfamiliar, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 99827, just across the boundary.

What’s driving this score

Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Lifting this score

Environmental HazardPartial

in the top 0.00%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 84%

9%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 58%

11%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 29%

22%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 12%

17%

Preventive Care

healthier than 16%

13%

Disability

healthier than 36%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 5%

6%

No data: Climate / Disaster Risk — not measured in this ZIP, so it is left out of the score entirely rather than estimated.

“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›

Nearby & similar ZIPs

Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.

How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured

Evidence

Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.

Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults32.2%28.1–36.1
High blood pressure among adults41.4%36.6–46.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.7%9.5–12.0
Current asthma among adults10.7%9.3–12.0
Coronary heart disease among adults9.1%7.8–10.4
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.6%7.9–11.6
Depression among adults20.0%16.7–23.5
Diagnosed diabetes among adults12.5%10.4–14.5
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened40.7%36.0–45.3
Obesity among adults35.7%27.9–44.0
Stroke among adults4.6%3.9–5.2
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years14.1%11.2–17.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years8.9%7.0–11.4
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure76.4%72.8–79.7
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults72.4%68.1–76.6
Cholesterol screening among adults84.5%82.1–86.7
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years62.9%57.3–68.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults59.3%55.3–63.3
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years67.4%58.4–76.0
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.5%12.6–18.7
Current cigarette smoking among adults18.0%14.3–21.6
No leisure-time physical activity among adults24.9%19.8–30.2
Short sleep duration among adults32.8%26.2–39.6
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults21.6%17.9–25.6
Frequent mental distress among adults14.7%12.7–16.8
Frequent physical distress among adults16.0%13.7–18.5
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults13.7%11.6–15.8
Any disability among adults33.8%28.5–39.1
Hearing disability among adults10.7%9.3–12.1
Independent living disability among adults8.7%7.4–10.2
Mobility disability among adults16.7%13.6–19.7
Self-care disability among adults4.6%3.8–5.4
Vision disability among adults5.5%4.7–6.4
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults22.5%19.0–26.5
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults13.2%10.6–16.3
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults10.3%8.1–13.0
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.0%8.3–12.0
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.8%6.7–9.2
Loneliness among adults29.5%25.1–35.1
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults7.2%6.1–8.5
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)AK median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate10.5%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.7% (1.4–38.0%) n=230
Uninsured 18–6410.3%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28620.8% (8.5–50.0%) n=225
No HS diploma (25+)7.7%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5058.4% (1.4–25.1%) n=230
Bachelor's or higher (25+)34.4%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50515.0% (0.0–37.4%) n=230
Unemployment rate (16+)8.6%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2748.6% (0.0–29.5%) n=226
Households without a vehicle11.2%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,32231.1% (1.0–95.5%) n=228
Broadband subscription84.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32284.8% (49.6–96.0%) n=228
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)17.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32217.0% (0.0–33.2%) n=228
Homeownership rate81.7%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32271.7% (45.5–94.4%) n=228
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.4%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3228.5% (0.0–48.6%) n=228
Foreign-born population2.9%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5530.8% (0.0–11.1%) n=231
Single-parent households68.2%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08744.2% (18.7–68.2%) n=221
Population 65+31.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55312.7% (3.0–29.7%) n=231
Median age50.9 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29235.7 yr (22.6–53.6) n=226
Median household income$63,558$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$66,823 ($39,905–$108,850) n=197
Median home value$330,600$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$177,500 ($66,830–$395,940) n=178
Median gross rent$900$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,078 ($688–$1,571) n=143
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)AK median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth79.3 yr ± 1.1578.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30879.0 yr (75.1–84.7) n=222

About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 1.15 years of 79.3, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

More ZIPs to explore ▾

How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured