Alaska

State Office of Rural Health

Alaska Office of Rural Health

Phone: 907.269.3445

Collects and disseminates rural healthcare information and data. Work to improve rural health professions recruitment and retention, and offers technical assistance to rural providers, hospitals, and communities. Coordinates rural health policy analysis in Alaska.
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Alaska Nonmetro Population

734,821

Estimated population

239,187 (32.6%)

People living in nonmetro areas

Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-year estimate

Alaska Rural Healthcare Facilities

13

Critical Access Hospitals

0

Rural Emergency Hospitals

0

Rural Health Clinics

31

Federally Qualified Health Centers*

4

Short Term/PPS Hospitals*

*Sites according to data.HRSA.gov (July 2024), showing only locations outside of U.S. Census Bureau Urban Areas with a population of 50,000 or more

Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural Alaska

While most Alaskans have some form of health insurance coverage, 10.7% of residents remain uninsured (Kaiser, 2022). According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for Alaskans in 2021 was $65,813, with the rural per capita income at $63,883. Based on 2021 ACS data, the ERS reports that the poverty rate in rural Alaska is 13.7%, compared with 9.5% in urban areas of the state. 8.5% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 5.9% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2017-2021 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural Alaska is 4.9%, while in urban Alaska it is 3.7% (USDA-ERS, 2022).