Health Profile of West Carson, California
West Carson 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
West Carson Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | West Carson | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 82.1 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.1% | 6.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 14.5% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in West Carson is 82.1 years, about 2.5 years longer than the California average of 79.6 years. The uninsured rate is 5.1%, lower than the California average of 6.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 14.5% of residents, lower than the California average of 16.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
9,461 residents in West Carson are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 525 168 men · 357 women
- 75–84 1,667 782 men · 885 women
- 65–74 2,683 1,223 men · 1,461 women
- 50–64 4,585 2,137 men · 2,448 women
Younger residents
3,582 residents in West Carson are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,081 536 boys · 546 girls
- 7–12 984 457 boys · 526 girls
- 3–7 827 373 boys · 454 girls
- 0–3 690 318 boys · 372 girls
About 973 residents in West Carson (4.4% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 82.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | West Carson | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 11.1% | 10.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.9% | 6.3% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.7% | 6.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 25.2% | 30.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of obesity in West Carson is about 18% lower than in California.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | West Carson | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 9.4% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.3% | 18.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 20.9% | 21.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in West Carson is about 32% lower than in California. The rate of binge drinking in West Carson is about 21% lower than in California.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 17,482 cigarettes a day, 524,475 a month, or 6.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 192,307 minutes a day and 70.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in West Carson is 82.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.63 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 | West Carson | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 11.27 | 7.63 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 11.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in West Carson is moderate — acceptable air quality, though unusually sensitive individuals may notice effects.
West Carson, CA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
West Carson, CA is the 4th largest of the 5 cities compared here, 22,143 residents against a local median of 75,735. West Carson, CA's uninsured, at 5.1%, runs 27% below the 7.1% typical of the cities around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 4.3% on uninsured, so West Carson, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. West Carson, CA has the 2nd lowest uninsured of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Carson, CA | 22,143 | 82.1 yrs #2/5 | 5.1% #2/5 | 25.2% #2/5 |
| Lomita, CA | 20,223 | 79.6 yrs | 7.3% | 26.3% |
| Carson, CA | 92,071 | 80.1 yrs | 6.9% | 27.7% |
| Torrance, CA | 139,758 | 82.8 yrs | 4.2% | 21.9% |
| Gardena, CA | 59,400 | 81.0 yrs | 8.5% | 27.0% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, West Carson, California has an overall health index grade of A, making it somewhat better than California, and notably better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in West Carson, California.
What is the health grade for West Carson, California?
West Carson, California 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 life expectancy in West Carson, California?
People in West Carson, California can expect to live 82.1 years on average, 2.5 years longer than the California average of 79.6.
What is the uninsured rate in West Carson, California?
5.1% of residents in West Carson, California have no health insurance, about 1 in 19 people, 1.5 points below the California rate of 6.6%.
What percentage of West Carson, California residents are obese?
25.2% of adults in West Carson, California are classified as obese, about 1 in 4, 5.4 points below the California rate of 30.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in West Carson, California go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 17,482 cigarettes a day, 524,475 a month, or 6.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 192,307 minutes a day and 70.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in West Carson is 82.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.63 lifetimes a year.
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