Health Profile of Decatur County, Iowa
Decatur 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
Decatur County Around averageLess healthy than 91% of counties in Iowa
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Decatur County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.7 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.6% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 15.4% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Decatur County is 78.7 years, about 0.5 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2 years. The uninsured rate is 7.6%, higher than the Iowa average of 5.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 15.4% of residents, higher than the Iowa average of 13.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
2,919 residents in Decatur County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 208 72 men · 136 women
- 75–84 526 231 men · 295 women
- 65–74 809 404 men · 404 women
- 50–64 1,377 704 men · 673 women
Younger residents
1,590 residents in Decatur County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 488 239 boys · 249 girls
- 7–12 481 252 boys · 228 girls
- 3–7 363 193 boys · 170 girls
- 0–3 258 131 boys · 127 girls
About 487 residents in Decatur County (6.3% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.7 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Decatur County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 11.2% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.4% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.8% | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 39.3% | 37.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Decatur County are about the same as in Iowa.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Decatur County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 18.7% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 20.0% | 20.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 27.1% | 25.4% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Decatur County are about the same as in Iowa.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 11,311 cigarettes a day, 339,335 a month, or 4.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 124,423 minutes a day and 45.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Decatur County is 78.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.10 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 | Decatur County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.23 | 6.49 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Decatur County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Decatur County, IA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Decatur County, IA is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 7,759 residents against a local median of 6,531. The measure that sets Decatur County, IA apart most is uninsured: 7.6%, 17% below the local median of 9.2%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 8.7% on uninsured, so Decatur County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Decatur County, IA has the 3rd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur County, IA | 7,759 | 78.7 yrs #1/6 | 7.6% #3/6 | 39.3% #6/6 |
| Clarke County, IA | 9,662 | 78.0 yrs | 4.9% | 36.2% |
| Mercer County, MO | 3,482 | 76.4 yrs | 9.2% | 36.4% |
| Harrison County, MO | 8,190 | 77.1 yrs | 13.6% | 38.2% |
| Ringgold County, IA | 4,645 | 75.7 yrs | 6.6% | 37.2% |
| Wayne County, IA | 6,531 | 78.6 yrs | 12.8% | 39.2% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Decatur County, 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 Decatur County, Iowa.
Is Decatur County, Iowa a healthy place to live?
Decatur 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 Decatur County, Iowa one of the healthiest counties in Iowa?
Decatur County ranks 90th 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 Decatur County, Iowa?
People in Decatur County, Iowa can expect to live 78.7 years on average, 0.5 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2.
What is the uninsured rate in Decatur County, Iowa?
7.6% of residents in Decatur County, Iowa have no health insurance, about 1 in 13 people, 2.6 points above the Iowa rate of 5.0%.
How common is obesity in Decatur County, Iowa?
39.3% of adults in Decatur County, Iowa are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 2.0 points above the Iowa rate of 37.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Decatur County, Iowa go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 11,311 cigarettes a day, 339,335 a month, or 4.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 124,423 minutes a day and 45.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Decatur County is 78.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.10 lifetimes a year.
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