Health Profile of Howard County, Iowa
Howard 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
Howard County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Howard County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.6 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 10.2% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 13.8% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Howard County is 78.6 years, about 0.7 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2 years. The uninsured rate is 10.2%, higher than the Iowa average of 5.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 13.8% of residents, higher than the Iowa average of 13.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
3,795 residents in Howard County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 333 126 men · 207 women
- 75–84 586 246 men · 340 women
- 65–74 975 481 men · 494 women
- 50–64 1,902 951 men · 950 women
Younger residents
2,248 residents in Howard County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 699 353 boys · 346 girls
- 7–12 656 355 boys · 301 girls
- 3–7 514 280 boys · 234 girls
- 0–3 380 198 boys · 182 girls
About 708 residents in Howard County (7.5% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Howard County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.6% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 8.0% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.6% | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 39.4% | 37.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Howard County are about the same as in Iowa.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Howard County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 17.8% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 20.5% | 20.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 25.4% | 25.4% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Howard County are about the same as in Iowa.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 12,490 cigarettes a day, 374,714 a month, or 4.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 137,395 minutes a day and 50.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Howard County is 78.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.21 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 | Howard County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.21 | 6.49 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Howard County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Howard County, IA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Howard County, IA is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 9,445 residents against a local median of 19,872. The measure that sets Howard County, IA apart most is uninsured: 10.2%, 41% above the local median of 7.2%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 5.2% on uninsured, so Howard County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Howard County, IA has the 6th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County, IA | 9,445 | 78.6 yrs #6/6 | 10.2% #6/6 | 39.4% #6/6 |
| Chickasaw County, IA | 11,807 | 81.3 yrs | 7.8% | 36.1% |
| Fillmore County, MN | 21,414 | 82.5 yrs | 7.2% | 34.3% |
| Mitchell County, IA | 10,577 | 81.1 yrs | 7.4% | 36.7% |
| Winneshiek County, IA | 19,872 | 82.0 yrs | 2.7% | 32.2% |
| Mower County, MN | 40,341 | 80.7 yrs | 7.1% | 33.4% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Howard 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 Howard County, Iowa.
How healthy is Howard County, Iowa?
Howard 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 Howard County, Iowa one of the healthiest counties in Iowa?
Howard County ranks 65th 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 average lifespan in Howard County, Iowa?
People in Howard County, Iowa can expect to live 78.6 years on average, 0.7 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2.
What is the uninsured rate in Howard County, Iowa?
10.2% of residents in Howard County, Iowa have no health insurance, about 1 in 10 people, 5.2 points above the Iowa rate of 5.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Howard County, Iowa?
39.4% of adults in Howard County, Iowa are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 2.1 points above the Iowa rate of 37.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Howard County, Iowa go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 12,490 cigarettes a day, 374,714 a month, or 4.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 137,395 minutes a day and 50.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Howard County is 78.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.21 lifetimes a year.
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