Health Profile of District of Columbia, District of Columbia
District of Columbia 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
District of Columbia Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | District of Columbia | District of Columbia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.4 | 76.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 3.6% | 3.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 12.3% | 12.3% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in District of Columbia is about the same as in District of Columbia, at 76.4 years. The uninsured rate is about the same as in District of Columbia, at 3.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by about the same share of residents as in District of Columbia, at 12.3%.
Population by Age
Older residents
187,291 residents in District of Columbia are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 10,214 3,565 men · 6,649 women
- 75–84 26,498 10,393 men · 16,105 women
- 65–74 48,926 21,499 men · 27,427 women
- 50–64 101,653 49,972 men · 51,681 women
Younger residents
120,540 residents in District of Columbia are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 30,866 15,676 boys · 15,190 girls
- 7–12 34,235 17,221 boys · 17,014 girls
- 3–7 30,786 15,533 boys · 15,253 girls
- 0–3 24,653 12,577 boys · 12,076 girls
About 32,388 residents in District of Columbia (4.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.4 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | District of Columbia | District of Columbia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 8.5% | 8.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.0% | 5.0% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.2% | 4.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 25.3% | 25.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in District of Columbia are about the same as in District of Columbia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | District of Columbia | District of Columbia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 14.1% | 14.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 20.8% | 20.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 18.7% | 18.7% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in District of Columbia are about the same as in District of Columbia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 775,810 cigarettes a day, 23.3 million a month, or 283.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 8.5 million minutes a day and 3.1 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in District of Columbia is 76.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.21 lifetimes a day, or 78 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 | District of Columbia | District of Columbia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.41 | 6.41 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in District of Columbia is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
District of Columbia, DC Health Compared With Nearby Counties
District of Columbia, DC is the 3rd largest of the 4 counties compared here, 678,314 residents against a local median of 959,665. Where District of Columbia, DC breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 49% below the local median of 7.1% at 3.6%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 6.1% on uninsured, so District of Columbia, DC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. District of Columbia, DC has the lowest uninsured of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia, DC | 678,314 | 76.4 yrs #4/4 | 3.6% #1/4 | 25.3% #2/4 |
| Arlington County, VA | 236,150 | 81.8 yrs | 5.3% | 27.1% |
| Prince George's County, MD | 959,665 | 79.7 yrs | 11.4% | 36.9% |
| Fairfax County, VA | 1,147,383 | 82.6 yrs | 7.1% | 22.6% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, District of Columbia, District of Columbia has an overall health index grade of A, making it somewhat better than District of Columbia, and notably better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in District of Columbia, District of Columbia.
How healthy is District of Columbia, District of Columbia?
District of Columbia, District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia, District of Columbia?
People in District of Columbia, District of Columbia can expect to live 76.4 years on average, about the same as the District of Columbia average of 76.4.
How many people lack health insurance in District of Columbia, District of Columbia?
3.6% of residents in District of Columbia, District of Columbia have no health insurance, about 1 in 27 people, about the same as the District of Columbia rate of 3.6%.
What percentage of District of Columbia, District of Columbia residents are obese?
25.3% of adults in District of Columbia, District of Columbia are classified as obese, about 1 in 4, about the same as the District of Columbia rate of 25.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in District of Columbia, District of Columbia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 775,810 cigarettes a day, 23.3 million a month, or 283.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 8.5 million minutes a day and 3.1 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in District of Columbia is 76.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.21 lifetimes a day, or 78 lifetimes a year.
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