Health Profile of Marion County, Iowa
Marion 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
Marion County Around averageHealthier than 85% of counties in Iowa
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Marion County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.7 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 2.5% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 11.8% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Marion County is 78.7 years, about 0.6 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2 years. The uninsured rate is 2.5%, lower than the Iowa average of 5.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 11.8% of residents, lower than the Iowa average of 13.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
12,597 residents in Marion County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 953 296 men · 657 women
- 75–84 1,843 812 men · 1,031 women
- 65–74 3,267 1,609 men · 1,658 women
- 50–64 6,534 3,267 men · 3,268 women
Younger residents
7,555 residents in Marion County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,673 1,360 boys · 1,313 girls
- 7–12 2,259 1,139 boys · 1,119 girls
- 3–7 1,517 767 boys · 750 girls
- 0–3 1,106 568 boys · 538 girls
About 1,956 residents in Marion County (5.8% 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 | Marion County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 9.3% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.9% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.3% | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 33.4% | 37.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Marion County are about the same as in Iowa.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Marion County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 16.8% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 21.6% | 20.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 22.8% | 25.4% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Marion County are about the same as in Iowa.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 43,467 cigarettes a day, 1.3 million a month, or 15.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 478,133 minutes a day and 174.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Marion County is 78.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.22 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 | Marion County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.45 | 6.49 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Marion County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Marion County, IA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Marion County, IA is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 33,642 residents against a local median of 22,021. The measure that sets Marion County, IA apart most is uninsured: 2.5%, 46% below the local median of 4.5%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 6.0% on uninsured, so Marion County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Marion County, IA has the 2nd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County, IA | 33,642 | 78.7 yrs #3/6 | 2.5% #2/6 | 33.4% #1/6 |
| Jasper County, IA | 37,954 | 79.0 yrs | 4.5% | 39.3% |
| Lucas County, IA | 8,716 | 77.3 yrs | 8.0% | 36.6% |
| Monroe County, IA | 7,513 | 76.5 yrs | 3.6% | 38.1% |
| Mahaska County, IA | 22,021 | 78.2 yrs | 4.7% | 35.6% |
| Warren County, IA | 54,398 | 79.7 yrs | 2.0% | 36.8% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Marion 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 Marion County, Iowa.
What is the health grade for Marion County, Iowa?
Marion 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 Marion County, Iowa one of the healthiest counties in Iowa?
Marion County ranks 16th 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.
How long do people live in Marion County, Iowa?
People in Marion County, Iowa can expect to live 78.7 years on average, 0.6 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2.
How many people lack health insurance in Marion County, Iowa?
2.5% of residents in Marion County, Iowa have no health insurance, about 1 in 41 people, 2.5 points below the Iowa rate of 5.0%.
How common is obesity in Marion County, Iowa?
33.4% of adults in Marion County, Iowa are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 3.9 points below the Iowa rate of 37.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Marion County, Iowa go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 43,467 cigarettes a day, 1.3 million a month, or 15.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 478,133 minutes a day and 174.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Marion County is 78.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.22 lifetimes a year.
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