Health Profile of Mahaska County, Iowa
Mahaska 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
Mahaska County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Mahaska County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.2 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 4.7% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 14.0% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Mahaska County is 78.2 years, about 1.0 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2 years. The uninsured rate is 4.7%, lower than the Iowa average of 5.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 14.0% of residents, higher than the Iowa average of 13.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
8,132 residents in Mahaska County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 565 183 men · 381 women
- 75–84 1,233 528 men · 705 women
- 65–74 2,185 1,067 men · 1,118 women
- 50–64 4,149 2,119 men · 2,030 women
Younger residents
4,955 residents in Mahaska County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,553 838 boys · 715 girls
- 7–12 1,470 747 boys · 723 girls
- 3–7 1,103 548 boys · 555 girls
- 0–3 830 420 boys · 410 girls
About 1,347 residents in Mahaska County (6.1% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.2 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Mahaska County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.2% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.0% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.1% | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 35.6% | 37.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Mahaska County are about the same as in Iowa.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Mahaska County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 19.0% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 20.3% | 20.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 26.1% | 25.4% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Mahaska County are about the same as in Iowa.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 31,863 cigarettes a day, 955,893 a month, or 11.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 350,494 minutes a day and 127.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Mahaska County is 78.2 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.11 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 | Mahaska County | 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 Mahaska County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Mahaska County, IA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Mahaska County, IA is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 22,021 residents against a local median of 18,545. Mahaska County, IA's uninsured, at 4.7%, runs 21% above the 3.9% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 4.9% on uninsured, so Mahaska County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Mahaska County, IA has the 5th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahaska County, IA | 22,021 | 78.2 yrs #4/6 | 4.7% #5/6 | 35.6% #2/6 |
| Poweshiek County, IA | 18,545 | 79.0 yrs | 3.9% | 36.1% |
| Monroe County, IA | 7,513 | 76.5 yrs | 3.6% | 38.1% |
| Wapello County, IA | 35,362 | 77.3 yrs | 7.3% | 39.1% |
| Marion County, IA | 33,642 | 78.7 yrs | 2.5% | 33.4% |
| Keokuk County, IA | 7,337 | 79.8 yrs | 4.0% | 37.8% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Mahaska 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 Mahaska County, Iowa.
How healthy is Mahaska County, Iowa?
Mahaska 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 Mahaska County, Iowa one of the healthiest counties in Iowa?
Mahaska County ranks 52nd 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 Mahaska County, Iowa?
People in Mahaska County, Iowa can expect to live 78.2 years on average, 1.0 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2.
What is the uninsured rate in Mahaska County, Iowa?
4.7% of residents in Mahaska County, Iowa have no health insurance, about 1 in 21 people, about the same as the Iowa rate of 5.0%.
How common is obesity in Mahaska County, Iowa?
35.6% of adults in Mahaska County, Iowa are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.7 points below the Iowa rate of 37.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Mahaska County, Iowa go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 31,863 cigarettes a day, 955,893 a month, or 11.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 350,494 minutes a day and 127.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Mahaska County is 78.2 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.11 lifetimes a year.
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