Health Profile of Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer 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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D
Bessemer Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Bessemer | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 71.9 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 12.5% | 9.2% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 26.0% | 23.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Bessemer is 71.9 years, about 2.8 years shorter than the Alabama average of 74.7 years. The uninsured rate is 12.5%, higher than the Alabama average of 9.2%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 26.0% of residents, higher than the Alabama average of 23.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
11,629 residents in Bessemer are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 605 190 men · 415 women
- 75–84 1,640 561 men · 1,078 women
- 65–74 2,967 1,289 men · 1,678 women
- 50–64 6,417 2,795 men · 3,622 women
Younger residents
7,255 residents in Bessemer are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,070 1,101 boys · 970 girls
- 7–12 2,068 1,159 boys · 909 girls
- 3–7 1,729 882 boys · 847 girls
- 0–3 1,388 658 boys · 730 girls
About 3,048 residents in Bessemer (9.6% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 71.9 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Bessemer | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 17.5% | 14.9% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.1% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.1% | 8.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 44.5% | 41.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Bessemer is about 18% higher than in Alabama.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Bessemer | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 20.8% | 22.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 12.0% | 13.6% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 33.1% | 32.2% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Bessemer are about the same as in Alabama.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 51,140 cigarettes a day, 1.5 million a month, or 18.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 562,545 minutes a day and 205.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Bessemer is 71.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 5.43 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 | Bessemer | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 8.70 | 7.76 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 8.7 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Bessemer is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Bessemer, Alabama has an overall health index grade of D, making it about on par with Alabama, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Bessemer, Alabama.
What is the health grade for Bessemer, Alabama?
Bessemer, Alabama has a Map AI Health Index grade of D, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a D grade means residents face somewhat worse health outcomes than the U.S. average.
What is the life expectancy in Bessemer, Alabama?
People in Bessemer, Alabama can expect to live 71.9 years on average, 2.8 years shorter than the Alabama average of 74.7.
How many people lack health insurance in Bessemer, Alabama?
12.5% of residents in Bessemer, Alabama have no health insurance, about 1 in 8 people, 3.3 points above the Alabama rate of 9.2%.
What percentage of Bessemer, Alabama residents are obese?
44.5% of adults in Bessemer, Alabama are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 3.2 points above the Alabama rate of 41.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Bessemer, Alabama go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 51,140 cigarettes a day, 1.5 million a month, or 18.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 562,545 minutes a day and 205.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Bessemer is 71.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 5.43 lifetimes a year.
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