Diabetes rates have been on the rise for the last two decades, and show no sign of abating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 11.3% of the U.S. population suffers from diabetes—though many of those affected do not know they have the chronic illness.
Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in 2020, but the disease does not impact all Americans equally. Instead, variables like poverty level, geographic region, and race all influence diabetes rates, meaning some Americans are disproportionately impacted by the disease.
The Southeastern portion of the U.S. has a particularly high concentration of counties with elevated diabetes rates, with parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, and nearly all of Louisiana, along with other states, facing some of the highest rates. Studies have shown that lack of access to healthy, affordable foods and health care services, exposure to environmental toxins, and other health hazards associated with poverty and systemic racism contribute to the increased likelihood of developing diabetes. These same conditions also mean that poor, non-white Americans are more likely to endure complications and have higher mortality rates from diabetes than wealthier white Americans with the disease.
The proportion of young people with diabetes is projected to increase over the next several decades, with racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities only growing larger if trends continue. Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified the boroughs in Alaska with the highest percentage of adults with diabetes. Ties were broken by the broader Quality of Life rank provided by the analysis, which includes other poor physical and mental health indicators. The age-adjusted diabetes rate was obtained through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
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Gillfoto from Juneau, Alaska, United States // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 8% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #11
--- Quality of life rank: #7
--- Length of life rank: #12
- Estimated county population: 3,296
EQRoy // Shutterstock
2 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 8% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #6
--- Quality of life rank: #8
--- Length of life rank: #5
- Estimated county population: 95,651
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3 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 8% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #12
--- Quality of life rank: #9
--- Length of life rank: #12
- Estimated county population: 2,614
Ross Fowler // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 8% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #8
--- Quality of life rank: #10
--- Length of life rank: #6
- Estimated county population: 110,213
Paxson Woelber // Flickr
5 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 8% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #9
--- Quality of life rank: #11
--- Length of life rank: #8
- Estimated county population: 287,095
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Christopher Michel // Wikimedia Commons
6 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 8% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #NR
--- Quality of life rank: #NR
--- Length of life rank: #NR
- Estimated county population: 1,179
Mark Wilson // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #4
--- Quality of life rank: #1
--- Length of life rank: #9
- Estimated county population: 6,957
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8 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #1
--- Quality of life rank: #3
--- Length of life rank: #1
- Estimated county population: 12,992
ClickClick5 // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #14
--- Quality of life rank: #12
--- Length of life rank: #12
- Estimated county population: 2,510
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10 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #10
--- Quality of life rank: #18
--- Length of life rank: #2
- Estimated county population: 13,747
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Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock
11 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #NR
--- Quality of life rank: #NR
--- Length of life rank: #NR
- Estimated county population: 2,081
Jimmy Emerson, DVM // Flickr
12 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #NR
--- Quality of life rank: #NR
--- Length of life rank: #NR
- Estimated county population: 788
Piergiuliano Chesi // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #15
--- Quality of life rank: #13
--- Length of life rank: #12
- Estimated county population: 5,680
NOAA Photo Library // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #16
--- Quality of life rank: #14
--- Length of life rank: #12
- Estimated county population: 2,141
Bob Johnston // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #13
--- Quality of life rank: #15
--- Length of life rank: #11
- Estimated county population: 9,294
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16 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #18
--- Quality of life rank: #17
--- Length of life rank: #18
- Estimated county population: 6,147
Jimmy Emerson, DVM // Flickr
17 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #NR
--- Quality of life rank: #NR
--- Length of life rank: #NR
- Estimated county population: 637
Canva
18 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (6 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #20
--- Quality of life rank: #20
--- Length of life rank: #23
- Estimated county population: 4,833
Shishaldin // Wikimedia Commons
19 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (6 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #NR
--- Quality of life rank: #NR
--- Length of life rank: #NR
- Estimated county population: 3,401
Paxson Woelber // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (7 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #17
--- Quality of life rank: #16
--- Length of life rank: #12
- Estimated county population: 1,493
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Hjames2 // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (7 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #19
--- Quality of life rank: #19
--- Length of life rank: #19
- Estimated county population: 5,077
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22 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (7 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #21
--- Quality of life rank: #21
--- Length of life rank: #22
- Estimated county population: 9,909
Canva
23 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (8 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #23
--- Quality of life rank: #23
--- Length of life rank: #20
- Estimated county population: 7,644
Jimmy Emerson, DVM // Flickr
24 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 16% (9 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #22
--- Quality of life rank: #22
--- Length of life rank: #21
- Estimated county population: 18,437
Joseph // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 25- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 20% (13 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #24
--- Quality of life rank: #24
--- Length of life rank: #24
- Estimated county population: 8,328
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