Health Profile of Decatur, Alabama
Decatur 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
Decatur Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Decatur | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.4 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 13.6% | 9.2% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 21.1% | 23.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Decatur is 75.4 years, about 0.7 years longer than the Alabama average of 74.7 years. The uninsured rate is 13.6%, higher than the Alabama average of 9.2%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 21.1% of residents, lower than the Alabama average of 23.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
18,863 residents in Decatur are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 999 355 men · 645 women
- 75–84 2,776 1,066 men · 1,710 women
- 65–74 4,959 2,216 men · 2,743 women
- 50–64 10,129 4,929 men · 5,200 women
Younger residents
11,778 residents in Decatur are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 3,447 1,828 boys · 1,619 girls
- 7–12 3,407 1,699 boys · 1,708 girls
- 3–7 2,810 1,373 boys · 1,437 girls
- 0–3 2,115 1,066 boys · 1,049 girls
About 3,659 residents in Decatur (7.0% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.4 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Decatur | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 13.1% | 14.9% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.6% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.5% | 8.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 40.9% | 41.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Decatur are about the same as in Alabama.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Decatur | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 21.3% | 22.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.9% | 13.6% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 30.2% | 32.2% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Decatur are about the same as in Alabama.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 85,088 cigarettes a day, 2.6 million a month, or 31.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 935,966 minutes a day and 341.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Decatur is 75.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 8.62 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 | Decatur | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.64 | 7.76 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.6 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Decatur is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Decatur, 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 Decatur, Alabama.
Is Decatur, Alabama a healthy place to live?
Decatur, 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 average lifespan in Decatur, Alabama?
People in Decatur, Alabama can expect to live 75.4 years on average, 0.7 years longer than the Alabama average of 74.7.
How many people lack health insurance in Decatur, Alabama?
13.6% of residents in Decatur, Alabama have no health insurance, about 1 in 7 people, 4.4 points above the Alabama rate of 9.2%.
What percentage of Decatur, Alabama residents are obese?
40.9% of adults in Decatur, Alabama are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, about the same as the Alabama rate of 41.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Decatur, Alabama go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 85,088 cigarettes a day, 2.6 million a month, or 31.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 935,966 minutes a day and 341.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Decatur is 75.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 8.62 lifetimes a year.
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