Health Profile of Ames, Iowa
Ames 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
Ames Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Ames | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 82.0 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 4.4% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 10.4% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Ames is 82.0 years, about 2.7 years longer than the Iowa average of 79.2 years. The uninsured rate is 4.4%, lower than the Iowa average of 5.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 10.4% of residents, lower than the Iowa average of 13.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
10,850 residents in Ames are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 621 276 men · 345 women
- 75–84 1,511 666 men · 845 women
- 65–74 2,963 1,372 men · 1,590 women
- 50–64 5,755 2,871 men · 2,885 women
Younger residents
6,568 residents in Ames are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,789 921 boys · 868 girls
- 7–12 1,847 917 boys · 930 girls
- 3–7 1,629 823 boys · 806 girls
- 0–3 1,302 680 boys · 622 girls
About 1,067 residents in Ames (1.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 82.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Ames | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 5.7% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 3.7% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 3.6% | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 28.7% | 37.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in Ames is about 52% lower than in Iowa. The rate of heart disease in Ames is about 51% lower than in Iowa. The rate of diabetes in Ames is about 46% lower than in Iowa.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Ames | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 13.2% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 24.2% | 20.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 19.4% | 25.4% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Ames is about 25% lower than in Iowa. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Ames is about 24% lower than in Iowa. The rate of binge drinking in Ames is about 17% higher than in Iowa.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 70,797 cigarettes a day, 2.1 million a month, or 25.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 778,764 minutes a day and 284.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Ames is 82.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.60 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 | Ames | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.59 | 6.49 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.6 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Ames is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Ames, Iowa has an overall health index grade of A, making it notably better than Iowa, and notably better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Ames, Iowa.
How healthy is Ames, Iowa?
Ames, Iowa 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.
How long do people live in Ames, Iowa?
People in Ames, Iowa can expect to live 82.0 years on average, 2.7 years longer than the Iowa average of 79.2.
What percentage of Ames, Iowa residents are uninsured?
4.4% of residents in Ames, Iowa have no health insurance, about 1 in 23 people, 0.6 points below the Iowa rate of 5.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Ames, Iowa?
28.7% of adults in Ames, Iowa are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 8.6 points below the Iowa rate of 37.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Ames, Iowa go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 70,797 cigarettes a day, 2.1 million a month, or 25.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 778,764 minutes a day and 284.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Ames is 82.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.60 lifetimes a year.
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