Health Profile of Palo Alto County, Iowa
Palo Alto 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
Palo Alto County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Palo Alto County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.4 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 4.8% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 12.4% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Palo Alto County is 78.4 years, about 0.8 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2 years. The uninsured rate is 4.8%, lower than the Iowa average of 5.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 12.5% of residents, lower than the Iowa average of 13.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
3,675 residents in Palo Alto County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 371 130 men · 241 women
- 75–84 576 236 men · 340 women
- 65–74 989 478 men · 511 women
- 50–64 1,739 877 men · 862 women
Younger residents
1,883 residents in Palo Alto County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 592 299 boys · 293 girls
- 7–12 535 270 boys · 265 girls
- 3–7 427 233 boys · 194 girls
- 0–3 329 187 boys · 143 girls
About 732 residents in Palo Alto County (8.3% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.4 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Palo Alto County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.4% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 8.4% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.5% | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 37.4% | 37.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Palo Alto County are about the same as in Iowa.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Palo Alto County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 15.6% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 20.8% | 20.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 24.2% | 25.4% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Palo Alto County are about the same as in Iowa.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 10,655 cigarettes a day, 319,641 a month, or 3.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 117,202 minutes a day and 42.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Palo Alto County is 78.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.04 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 | Palo Alto County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.85 | 6.49 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.9 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Palo Alto County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Palo Alto County, IA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Palo Alto County, IA is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 8,863 residents against a local median of 14,516. Palo Alto County, IA sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is uninsured, 14% below the local median at 4.8% against 5.5%. Palo Alto County, IA has the 3rd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto County, IA | 8,863 | 78.4 yrs #4/6 | 4.8% #3/6 | 37.4% #3/6 |
| Emmet County, IA | 9,262 | 77.8 yrs | 5.8% | 38.5% |
| Pocahontas County, IA | 7,046 | 77.6 yrs | 7.6% | 36.9% |
| Clay County, IA | 16,461 | 80.1 yrs | 5.5% | 40.0% |
| Kossuth County, IA | 14,516 | 79.8 yrs | 3.8% | 38.4% |
| Dickinson County, IA | 17,990 | 79.9 yrs | 2.6% | 35.7% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto County, Iowa.
Is Palo Alto County, Iowa a healthy place to live?
Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto County, Iowa one of the healthiest counties in Iowa?
Palo Alto County ranks 42nd 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 Palo Alto County, Iowa?
People in Palo Alto County, Iowa can expect to live 78.4 years on average, 0.8 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2.
What is the uninsured rate in Palo Alto County, Iowa?
4.8% of residents in Palo Alto County, Iowa have no health insurance, about 1 in 21 people, about the same as the Iowa rate of 5.0%.
What percentage of Palo Alto County, Iowa residents are obese?
37.4% of adults in Palo Alto County, Iowa are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, about the same as the Iowa rate of 37.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Palo Alto County, Iowa go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 10,655 cigarettes a day, 319,641 a month, or 3.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 117,202 minutes a day and 42.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Palo Alto County is 78.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.04 lifetimes a year.
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