Health Profile of Athens, Alabama
Athens 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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C
Athens Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Athens | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.3 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 10.5% | 9.2% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 21.3% | 23.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Athens is 75.3 years, about 0.6 years longer than the Alabama average of 74.7 years. The uninsured rate is 10.5%, higher than the Alabama average of 9.2%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 21.3% of residents, lower than the Alabama average of 23.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
8,984 residents in Athens are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 571 186 men · 385 women
- 75–84 1,516 566 men · 950 women
- 65–74 2,270 846 men · 1,424 women
- 50–64 4,627 2,177 men · 2,450 women
Younger residents
4,555 residents in Athens are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,294 613 boys · 680 girls
- 7–12 1,298 655 boys · 644 girls
- 3–7 1,111 583 boys · 529 girls
- 0–3 852 472 boys · 380 girls
About 2,040 residents in Athens (8.4% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.3 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Athens | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.8% | 14.9% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.8% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.7% | 8.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 36.8% | 41.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Athens are about the same as in Alabama.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Athens | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 20.0% | 22.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.2% | 13.6% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 30.7% | 32.2% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Athens are about the same as in Alabama.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 39,268 cigarettes a day, 1.2 million a month, or 14.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 431,945 minutes a day and 157.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Athens is 75.3 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.98 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 | Athens | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.14 | 7.76 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.1 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Athens is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Athens, AL Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Athens, AL compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens, AL | 24,253 | 75.3 yrs #3/3 | 10.5% #2/3 | 36.8% #2/3 |
| Madison, AL | 50,327 | 80.3 yrs | 4.2% | 31.5% |
| Decatur, AL | 52,492 | 75.4 yrs | 13.6% | 40.9% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Athens, Alabama has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Alabama, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Athens, Alabama.
What is the health grade for Athens, Alabama?
Athens, Alabama has a Map AI Health Index grade of C, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average.
What is the life expectancy in Athens, Alabama?
People in Athens, Alabama can expect to live 75.3 years on average, 0.6 years longer than the Alabama average of 74.7.
What percentage of Athens, Alabama residents are uninsured?
10.5% of residents in Athens, Alabama have no health insurance, about 1 in 10 people, 1.3 points above the Alabama rate of 9.2%.
What percentage of Athens, Alabama residents are obese?
36.8% of adults in Athens, Alabama are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 4.5 points below the Alabama rate of 41.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Athens, Alabama go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 39,268 cigarettes a day, 1.2 million a month, or 14.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 431,945 minutes a day and 157.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Athens is 75.3 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.98 lifetimes a year.
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