Health Profile of DeSoto County, Florida
DeSoto 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
DeSoto County Below averageAmong the 5 least healthy counties in Florida
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | DeSoto County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.0 | 77.2 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 19.9% | 11.5% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 25.4% | 19.5% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in DeSoto County is 78.0 years, about 0.8 years longer than the Florida average of 77.2 years. The uninsured rate is 19.9%, higher than the Florida average of 11.5%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 25.4% of residents, higher than the Florida average of 19.5%.
Population by Age
Older residents
13,717 residents in DeSoto County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 760 289 men · 471 women
- 75–84 2,628 1,370 men · 1,258 women
- 65–74 4,219 2,104 men · 2,114 women
- 50–64 6,110 3,252 men · 2,858 women
Younger residents
6,606 residents in DeSoto County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,085 1,074 boys · 1,011 girls
- 7–12 1,838 931 boys · 907 girls
- 3–7 1,486 700 boys · 786 girls
- 0–3 1,198 496 boys · 701 girls
About 2,385 residents in DeSoto County (6.7% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | DeSoto County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 15.0% | 12.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.3% | 7.3% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 9.3% | 8.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 39.9% | 33.8% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in DeSoto County is about 20% higher than in Florida. The rate of obesity in DeSoto County is about 18% higher than in Florida. The rate of heart disease in DeSoto County is about 16% higher than in Florida.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | DeSoto County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 24.1% | 21.3% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 13.6% | 14.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 37.9% | 29.1% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in DeSoto County is about 30% higher than in Florida.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 69,915 cigarettes a day, 2.1 million a month, or 25.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 769,061 minutes a day and 280.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in DeSoto County is 78.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.85 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 | DeSoto County | Florida Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.76 | 7.27 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.8 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in DeSoto County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
DeSoto County, FL Health Compared With Nearby Counties
DeSoto County, FL is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 35,386 residents against a local median of 201,064. The measure that sets DeSoto County, FL apart most is uninsured: 19.9%, 54% above the local median of 12.9%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Obesity tells the same story from another angle: 39.9% against a local median of 29.1%, 37% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: DeSoto County, FL reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 10.4% on uninsured, so DeSoto County, FL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. DeSoto County, FL has the 5th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeSoto County, FL | 35,386 | 78.0 yrs #5/6 | 19.9% #5/6 | 39.9% #6/6 |
| Hardee County, FL | 25,673 | 79.5 yrs | 20.1% | 38.4% |
| Charlotte County, FL | 201,064 | 78.7 yrs | 9.7% | 29.1% |
| Highlands County, FL | 105,700 | 77.4 yrs | 13.8% | 37.8% |
| Sarasota County, FL | 459,530 | 80.3 yrs | 9.9% | 25.4% |
| Lee County, FL | 815,257 | 78.7 yrs | 12.9% | 27.5% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, DeSoto County, Florida has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with Florida, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in DeSoto County, Florida.
What is the health grade for DeSoto County, Florida?
DeSoto County, Florida 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 DeSoto County, Florida one of the healthiest counties in Florida?
DeSoto County ranks 64th healthiest out of 67 counties in Florida by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the life expectancy in DeSoto County, Florida?
People in DeSoto County, Florida can expect to live 78.0 years on average, 0.8 years longer than the Florida average of 77.2.
What is the uninsured rate in DeSoto County, Florida?
19.9% of residents in DeSoto County, Florida have no health insurance, about 1 in 5 people, 8.4 points above the Florida rate of 11.5%.
What percentage of DeSoto County, Florida residents are obese?
39.9% of adults in DeSoto County, Florida are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 6.1 points above the Florida rate of 33.8%.
What is the biggest health concern in DeSoto County, Florida?
Compared with Florida as a whole, physical inactivity stands out most: the adult rate here is 37.9%, about 30% higher than the Florida rate of 29.1%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in DeSoto County, Florida go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 69,915 cigarettes a day, 2.1 million a month, or 25.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 769,061 minutes a day and 280.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in DeSoto County is 78.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.85 lifetimes a year.
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