Alaska Health Data Geographic Descriptions

There are 2 metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) and 2 micropolitan statistical areas (μSAs) in Alaska:

• Alaska Metropolitan/Micropolitan Statistical Areas

The Anchorage MSA is composed of the Municipality of Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The Fairbanks MSA and the 2 μSAs each include single boroughs. The boroughs and census areas outside of the metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas are considered rural.

There are 20 boroughs and 10 U.S. Census Bureau-designated census areas in Alaska: 

• Alaska Boroughs/Census Areas

These two systems have been aggregated into 30 geographic units, which correspond to 2019 census area designations. Alaska boroughs/census areas are equivalent to counties. Shapefiles are available from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Alaska is divided into seven public health regions:

• Alaska Public Health Regions

These regions are based broadly on the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s 6 Economic Regions and include Anchorage and Mat-Su, Gulf Coast, Interior, Northern, Southeast, and Southwest, Matanuska-Susitna Borough is reported separately from the Municipality of Anchorage.

For combined Anchorage and Mat-Su data, see the Metropolitan/Microplitan Statistical Areas. The 7 Public Health Regions represent an internal reporting standard for the Alaska Division of Public Health.

Alaska is divided into 11 behavioral health system regions for assessment and reporting purposes:

• Alaska Behavioral Health Systems Regions 

Each region contains at least 20,000 individuals, which complies with the HIPAA Privacy Rule for public dissemination of health data.

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s Alaska Native Epidemiology Center has divided Alaska into 12 tribal health regions:

• Alaska Tribal Health Regions

The boundaries of the Alaska Tribal Health Regions do not always follow those of boroughs and census areas.