Health Profile of Washington, District of Columbia
Washington 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
Washington Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Washington | 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 Washington 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
187,295 residents in Washington 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 48,928 21,500 men · 27,427 women
- 50–64 101,655 49,972 men · 51,683 women
Younger residents
120,541 residents in Washington 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 24,654 12,577 boys · 12,076 girls
About 32,388 residents in Washington (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 | Washington | 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 Washington are about the same as in District of Columbia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Washington | 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 Washington are about the same as in District of Columbia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 775,825 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 Washington 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 | Washington | 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 Washington is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Washington, DC Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Washington, DC compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | 678,327 | 76.4 yrs #2/2 | 3.6% #1/2 | 25.3% #1/2 |
| Chillum, MD | 32,171 | 79.0 yrs | 23.7% | 37.8% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Washington, 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 Washington, District of Columbia.
Is Washington, District of Columbia a healthy place to live?
Washington, 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 Washington, District of Columbia?
People in Washington, District of Columbia can expect to live 76.4 years on average, about the same as the District of Columbia average of 76.4.
What is the uninsured rate in Washington, District of Columbia?
3.6% of residents in Washington, 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 is the obesity rate in Washington, District of Columbia?
25.3% of adults in Washington, 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 Washington, District of Columbia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 775,825 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 Washington is 76.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.21 lifetimes a day, or 78 lifetimes a year.
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