Health Profile of Buena Vista County, Iowa
Buena Vista 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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B
Buena Vista County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Buena Vista County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 80.1 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 6.2% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 15.0% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Buena Vista County is 80.1 years, about 0.9 years longer than the Iowa average of 79.2 years. The uninsured rate is 6.2%, higher than the Iowa average of 5.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 15.0% of residents, higher than the Iowa average of 13.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
6,901 residents in Buena Vista County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 599 207 men · 392 women
- 75–84 960 409 men · 551 women
- 65–74 1,695 817 men · 878 women
- 50–64 3,647 1,855 men · 1,792 women
Younger residents
5,162 residents in Buena Vista County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,576 806 boys · 770 girls
- 7–12 1,484 798 boys · 686 girls
- 3–7 1,200 685 boys · 515 girls
- 0–3 903 515 boys · 388 girls
About 998 residents in Buena Vista County (4.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 80.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Buena Vista County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.6% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.2% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.2% | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 31.9% | 37.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Buena Vista County are about the same as in Iowa.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Buena Vista County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 18.2% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 19.4% | 20.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 27.5% | 25.4% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Buena Vista County are about the same as in Iowa.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 27,700 cigarettes a day, 831,015 a month, or 10.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 304,705 minutes a day and 111.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Buena Vista County is 80.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.64 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 | Buena Vista County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.17 | 6.49 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Buena Vista County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Buena Vista County, IA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Buena Vista County, IA is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 20,753 residents against a local median of 9,689. Where Buena Vista County, IA breaks from the counties next to it is obesity, sitting 16% below the local median of 38.1% at 31.9%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 4.3% on obesity, so Buena Vista County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Buena Vista County, IA has the lowest obesity of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Vista County, IA | 20,753 | 80.1 yrs #1/6 | 6.2% #5/6 | 31.9% #1/6 |
| Clay County, IA | 16,461 | 80.1 yrs | 5.5% | 40.0% |
| Sac County, IA | 9,689 | 79.7 yrs | 4.8% | 40.2% |
| Pocahontas County, IA | 7,046 | 77.6 yrs | 7.6% | 36.9% |
| Cherokee County, IA | 11,600 | 80.1 yrs | 4.8% | 38.1% |
| Ida County, IA | 6,911 | 79.3 yrs | 5.9% | 36.0% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Buena Vista County, Iowa has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Iowa, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Buena Vista County, Iowa.
How healthy is Buena Vista County, Iowa?
Buena Vista County, Iowa has a Map AI Health Index grade of B, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a B grade means residents are somewhat healthier than the U.S. average.
Is Buena Vista County, Iowa one of the healthiest counties in Iowa?
Buena Vista County ranks 53rd healthiest out of 99 counties in Iowa by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the life expectancy in Buena Vista County, Iowa?
People in Buena Vista County, Iowa can expect to live 80.1 years on average, 0.9 years longer than the Iowa average of 79.2.
What is the uninsured rate in Buena Vista County, Iowa?
6.2% of residents in Buena Vista County, Iowa have no health insurance, about 1 in 16 people, 1.2 points above the Iowa rate of 5.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Buena Vista County, Iowa?
31.9% of adults in Buena Vista County, Iowa are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 5.4 points below the Iowa rate of 37.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Buena Vista County, Iowa go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 27,700 cigarettes a day, 831,015 a month, or 10.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 304,705 minutes a day and 111.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Buena Vista County is 80.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.64 lifetimes a year.
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