Health Profile of Helena, Alabama
Helena 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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A
Helena Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Helena | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.0 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.6% | 9.2% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 10.7% | 23.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Helena is 78.0 years, about 3.4 years longer than the Alabama average of 74.7 years. The uninsured rate is 5.6%, lower than the Alabama average of 9.2%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 10.7% of residents, lower than the Alabama average of 23.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
7,330 residents in Helena are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 244 76 men · 168 women
- 75–84 926 430 men · 496 women
- 65–74 1,897 874 men · 1,024 women
- 50–64 4,262 2,084 men · 2,178 women
Younger residents
6,563 residents in Helena are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,079 1,047 boys · 1,032 girls
- 7–12 2,014 874 boys · 1,140 girls
- 3–7 1,460 641 boys · 820 girls
- 0–3 1,009 484 boys · 525 girls
About 832 residents in Helena (3.3% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Helena | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 7.7% | 14.9% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.4% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.3% | 8.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 31.9% | 41.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Helena is about 48% lower than in Alabama. The rate of heart disease in Helena is about 48% lower than in Alabama. The rate of obesity in Helena is about 23% lower than in Alabama.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Helena | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 14.0% | 22.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.9% | 13.6% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 18.7% | 32.2% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Helena is about 42% lower than in Alabama. The rate of smoking in Helena is about 37% lower than in Alabama. The rate of binge drinking in Helena is about 32% higher than in Alabama.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 25,675 cigarettes a day, 770,246 a month, or 9.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 282,424 minutes a day and 103.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Helena is 78.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.51 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 | Helena | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 8.66 | 7.76 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 8.7 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Helena is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Helena, AL Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Helena, AL is the smallest of the 4 cities compared here, 25,213 residents against a local median of 31,804. The measure that sets Helena, AL apart most is uninsured: 5.6%, 28% below the local median of 7.8%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 6.3% on uninsured, so Helena, AL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Helena, AL has the lowest uninsured of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena, AL | 25,213 | 78.0 yrs #2/4 | 5.6% #1/4 | 31.9% #2/4 |
| Alabaster, AL | 27,859 | 76.4 yrs | 7.8% | 34.2% |
| Hoover, AL | 75,120 | 80.1 yrs | 6.2% | 31.4% |
| Bessemer, AL | 31,804 | 71.9 yrs | 12.5% | 44.5% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Helena, Alabama has an overall health index grade of A, making it far better than Alabama, and notably better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Helena, Alabama.
How healthy is Helena, Alabama?
Helena, Alabama has a Map AI Health Index grade of A, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; an A grade means residents are much healthier than the U.S. average.
What is the average lifespan in Helena, Alabama?
People in Helena, Alabama can expect to live 78.0 years on average, 3.4 years longer than the Alabama average of 74.7.
How many people lack health insurance in Helena, Alabama?
5.6% of residents in Helena, Alabama have no health insurance, about 1 in 18 people, 3.6 points below the Alabama rate of 9.2%.
What is the obesity rate in Helena, Alabama?
31.9% of adults in Helena, Alabama are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 9.4 points below the Alabama rate of 41.3%.
What health issue is more common in Helena, Alabama than elsewhere?
Compared with Alabama as a whole, binge drinking stands out most: the adult rate here is 17.9%, about 32% higher than the Alabama rate of 13.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Helena, Alabama go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 25,675 cigarettes a day, 770,246 a month, or 9.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 282,424 minutes a day and 103.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Helena is 78.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.51 lifetimes a year.
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