Health Profile of Gadsden, Alabama
Gadsden 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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F
Gadsden Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Gadsden | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 70.8 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 17.3% | 9.2% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 29.3% | 23.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Gadsden is 70.8 years, about 3.9 years shorter than the Alabama average of 74.7 years. The uninsured rate is 17.3%, higher than the Alabama average of 9.2%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 29.3% of residents, higher than the Alabama average of 23.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
10,335 residents in Gadsden are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 655 187 men · 468 women
- 75–84 1,621 580 men · 1,041 women
- 65–74 2,670 1,159 men · 1,511 women
- 50–64 5,389 2,506 men · 2,883 women
Younger residents
6,219 residents in Gadsden are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,789 837 boys · 952 girls
- 7–12 1,784 880 boys · 904 girls
- 3–7 1,490 778 boys · 712 girls
- 0–3 1,156 619 boys · 537 girls
About 3,159 residents in Gadsden (11.0% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 70.8 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Gadsden | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 18.1% | 14.9% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.5% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 9.1% | 8.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 47.1% | 41.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Gadsden is about 21% higher than in Alabama.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Gadsden | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 25.7% | 22.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 11.5% | 13.6% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 38.7% | 32.2% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Gadsden is about 20% higher than in Alabama. The rate of smoking in Gadsden is about 16% higher than in Alabama. The rate of binge drinking in Gadsden is about 16% lower than in Alabama.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 56,981 cigarettes a day, 1.7 million a month, or 20.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 626,793 minutes a day and 228.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Gadsden is 70.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.15 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 | Gadsden | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.78 | 7.76 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.8 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Gadsden is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Gadsden, Alabama has an overall health index grade of F, making it about on par with Alabama, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Gadsden, Alabama.
Is Gadsden, Alabama a healthy place to live?
Gadsden, Alabama has a Map AI Health Index grade of F, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; an F grade means residents face significantly worse health outcomes than the U.S. average.
How long do people live in Gadsden, Alabama?
People in Gadsden, Alabama can expect to live 70.8 years on average, 3.9 years shorter than the Alabama average of 74.7.
What percentage of Gadsden, Alabama residents are uninsured?
17.3% of residents in Gadsden, Alabama have no health insurance, about 1 in 6 people, 8.1 points above the Alabama rate of 9.2%.
How common is obesity in Gadsden, Alabama?
47.1% of adults in Gadsden, Alabama are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 5.7 points above the Alabama rate of 41.3%.
What is the biggest health concern in Gadsden, Alabama?
Compared with Alabama as a whole, diabetes stands out most: the adult rate here is 18.1%, about 21% higher than the Alabama rate of 14.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Gadsden, Alabama go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 56,981 cigarettes a day, 1.7 million a month, or 20.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 626,793 minutes a day and 228.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Gadsden is 70.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.15 lifetimes a year.
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