Health Profile of Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs 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.
-
B
Council Bluffs Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Council Bluffs | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.8 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.9% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 15.1% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Council Bluffs is 76.8 years, about 2.4 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2 years. The uninsured rate is 5.9%, higher than the Iowa average of 5.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 15.1% of residents, higher than the Iowa average of 13.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
19,844 residents in Council Bluffs are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,084 392 men · 693 women
- 75–84 2,745 1,085 men · 1,660 women
- 65–74 5,166 2,348 men · 2,818 women
- 50–64 10,849 5,263 men · 5,586 women
Younger residents
12,369 residents in Council Bluffs are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 3,874 1,992 boys · 1,882 girls
- 7–12 3,598 1,872 boys · 1,726 girls
- 3–7 2,795 1,452 boys · 1,343 girls
- 0–3 2,102 1,091 boys · 1,011 girls
About 3,277 residents in Council Bluffs (5.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.8 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Council Bluffs | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.4% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.1% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.4% | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 41.3% | 37.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in Council Bluffs is about 19% lower than in Iowa.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Council Bluffs | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 22.5% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 22.1% | 20.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 28.9% | 25.4% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Council Bluffs is about 28% higher than in Iowa.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 98,518 cigarettes a day, 3.0 million a month, or 36.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.1 million minutes a day and 395.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Council Bluffs is 76.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 9.79 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 | Council Bluffs | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.69 | 6.49 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.7 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Council Bluffs is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Council Bluffs, IA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Council Bluffs, IA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council Bluffs, IA | 56,893 | 76.8 yrs #2/2 | 5.9% #1/2 | 41.3% #2/2 |
| Bellevue, NE | 49,054 | 80.0 yrs | 7.7% | 35.4% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Council Bluffs, Iowa has an overall health index grade of B, making it about on par with Iowa, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
What is the health grade for Council Bluffs, Iowa?
Council Bluffs, 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.
What is the average lifespan in Council Bluffs, Iowa?
People in Council Bluffs, Iowa can expect to live 76.8 years on average, 2.4 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2.
How many people lack health insurance in Council Bluffs, Iowa?
5.9% of residents in Council Bluffs, Iowa have no health insurance, about 1 in 17 people, 0.9 points above the Iowa rate of 5.0%.
How common is obesity in Council Bluffs, Iowa?
41.3% of adults in Council Bluffs, Iowa are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 4.0 points above the Iowa rate of 37.3%.
What health issue is more common in Council Bluffs, Iowa than elsewhere?
Compared with Iowa as a whole, smoking stands out most: the adult rate here is 22.5%, about 28% higher than the Iowa rate of 17.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Council Bluffs, Iowa go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 98,518 cigarettes a day, 3.0 million a month, or 36.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.1 million minutes a day and 395.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Council Bluffs is 76.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 9.79 lifetimes a year.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →