Health Profile of Independence County, Arkansas
Independence County 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
Independence County Below averageHealthier than 85% of counties in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Independence County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.6 | 75.5 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 10.0% | 9.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 20.4% | 22.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Independence County is 76.6 years, about 1.0 years longer than the Arkansas average of 75.5 years. The uninsured rate is 10.0%, higher than the Arkansas average of 9.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 20.4% of residents, lower than the Arkansas average of 22.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
13,885 residents in Independence County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 868 257 men · 611 women
- 75–84 2,038 897 men · 1,141 women
- 65–74 3,606 1,711 men · 1,894 women
- 50–64 7,373 3,611 men · 3,763 women
Younger residents
8,648 residents in Independence County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,780 1,417 boys · 1,364 girls
- 7–12 2,510 1,285 boys · 1,224 girls
- 3–7 1,892 1,021 boys · 871 girls
- 0–3 1,466 829 boys · 637 girls
About 2,507 residents in Independence County (6.6% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Independence County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 11.8% | 13.7% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.1% | 7.1% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.0% | 8.7% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 36.6% | 39.0% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Independence County are about the same as in Arkansas.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Independence County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 21.7% | 23.3% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.4% | 13.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 30.3% | 33.0% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Independence County are about the same as in Arkansas.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 62,628 cigarettes a day, 1.9 million a month, or 22.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 688,906 minutes a day and 251.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Independence County is 76.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.25 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 | Independence County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.18 | 7.47 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Independence County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Independence County, AR Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Independence County, AR is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 38,178 residents against a local median of 17,772. Where Independence County, AR breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 18% above the local median of 8.4% at 10.0%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.6% on uninsured, so Independence County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Independence County, AR has the 6th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence County, AR | 38,178 | 76.6 yrs #3/6 | 10.0% #6/6 | 36.6% #1/6 |
| Jackson County, AR | 16,709 | 74.4 yrs | 9.7% | 39.9% |
| Sharp County, AR | 17,772 | 74.9 yrs | 8.2% | 40.9% |
| Izard County, AR | 14,007 | 78.4 yrs | 8.4% | 36.9% |
| Cleburne County, AR | 25,225 | 76.7 yrs | 7.2% | 37.3% |
| White County, AR | 77,839 | 75.6 yrs | 9.8% | 37.4% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Independence County, Arkansas has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Arkansas, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Independence County, Arkansas.
Is Independence County, Arkansas a healthy place to live?
Independence County, Arkansas 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.
Is Independence County, Arkansas one of the healthiest counties in Arkansas?
Independence County ranks 12th healthiest out of 75 counties in Arkansas by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Independence County, Arkansas?
People in Independence County, Arkansas can expect to live 76.6 years on average, 1.0 years longer than the Arkansas average of 75.5.
What is the uninsured rate in Independence County, Arkansas?
10.0% of residents in Independence County, Arkansas have no health insurance, about 1 in 10 people, 1.0 points above the Arkansas rate of 9.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Independence County, Arkansas?
36.6% of adults in Independence County, Arkansas are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 2.4 points below the Arkansas rate of 39.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Independence County, Arkansas go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 62,628 cigarettes a day, 1.9 million a month, or 22.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 688,906 minutes a day and 251.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Independence County is 76.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.25 lifetimes a year.
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