Health Profile of Merced, California
Merced 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
Merced Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Merced | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.4 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 8.4% | 6.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 24.6% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Merced is 75.4 years, about 4.3 years shorter than the California average of 79.6 years. The uninsured rate is 8.4%, higher than the California average of 6.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 24.6% of residents, higher than the California average of 16.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
15,954 residents in Merced are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 748 255 men · 493 women
- 75–84 2,081 894 men · 1,187 women
- 65–74 3,913 1,677 men · 2,236 women
- 50–64 9,212 4,400 men · 4,812 women
Younger residents
18,299 residents in Merced are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 5,496 2,699 boys · 2,797 girls
- 7–12 5,568 2,763 boys · 2,805 girls
- 3–7 4,238 2,150 boys · 2,088 girls
- 0–3 2,996 1,578 boys · 1,418 girls
About 2,741 residents in Merced (4.2% 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 | Merced | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 13.0% | 10.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.7% | 6.3% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.4% | 6.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 39.0% | 30.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of obesity in Merced is about 28% higher than in California. The rate of cancer in Merced is about 26% lower than in California. The rate of diabetes in Merced is about 23% higher than in California.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Merced | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 17.5% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.1% | 18.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 31.0% | 21.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Merced is about 42% higher than in California. The rate of smoking in Merced is about 25% higher than in California.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 81,220 cigarettes a day, 2.4 million a month, or 29.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 893,420 minutes a day and 326.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Merced is 75.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 8.23 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 | Merced | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 9.32 | 7.63 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 9.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Merced is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Merced, California has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with California, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Merced, California.
What is the health grade for Merced, California?
Merced, California 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 life expectancy in Merced, California?
People in Merced, California can expect to live 75.4 years on average, 4.3 years shorter than the California average of 79.6.
How many people lack health insurance in Merced, California?
8.4% of residents in Merced, California have no health insurance, about 1 in 12 people, 1.8 points above the California rate of 6.6%.
What percentage of Merced, California residents are obese?
39.0% of adults in Merced, California are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 8.4 points above the California rate of 30.6%.
Which health problem stands out most in Merced, California?
Compared with California as a whole, physical inactivity stands out most: the adult rate here is 31.0%, about 42% higher than the California rate of 21.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Merced, California go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 81,220 cigarettes a day, 2.4 million a month, or 29.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 893,420 minutes a day and 326.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Merced is 75.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 8.23 lifetimes a year.
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