Health Profile of Union County, Iowa
Union 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
Union County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Union County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.0 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 8.3% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 14.1% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Union County is 78.0 years, about 1.3 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2 years. The uninsured rate is 8.3%, higher than the Iowa average of 5.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 14.1% of residents, higher than the Iowa average of 13.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
4,744 residents in Union County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 316 111 men · 205 women
- 75–84 817 330 men · 487 women
- 65–74 1,258 576 men · 681 women
- 50–64 2,352 1,151 men · 1,202 women
Younger residents
2,639 residents in Union County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 938 452 boys · 486 girls
- 7–12 764 385 boys · 379 girls
- 3–7 539 277 boys · 262 girls
- 0–3 398 206 boys · 192 girls
About 868 residents in Union County (7.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Union County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.9% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.6% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.4% | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 36.0% | 37.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Union County are about the same as in Iowa.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Union County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 18.7% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 20.7% | 20.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 25.6% | 25.4% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Union County are about the same as in Iowa.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 17,407 cigarettes a day, 522,203 a month, or 6.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 191,474 minutes a day and 69.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Union County is 78.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.71 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 | Union 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 Union County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Union County, IA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Union County, IA is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 11,993 residents against a local median of 7,460. Where Union County, IA breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 70% above the local median of 4.9% at 8.3%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.3% on uninsured, so Union County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Union County, IA has the 6th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, IA | 11,993 | 78.0 yrs #5/6 | 8.3% #6/6 | 36.0% #3/6 |
| Ringgold County, IA | 4,645 | 75.7 yrs | 6.6% | 37.2% |
| Madison County, IA | 16,926 | 80.2 yrs | 4.9% | 34.5% |
| Adair County, IA | 7,460 | 78.1 yrs | 5.3% | 35.6% |
| Adams County, IA | 3,622 | 78.1 yrs | 3.3% | 37.1% |
| Clarke County, IA | 9,662 | 78.0 yrs | 4.9% | 36.2% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Union 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 Union County, Iowa.
What is the health grade for Union County, Iowa?
Union 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 Union County, Iowa one of the healthiest counties in Iowa?
Union County ranks 68th 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 Union County, Iowa?
People in Union County, Iowa can expect to live 78.0 years on average, 1.3 years shorter than the Iowa average of 79.2.
What percentage of Union County, Iowa residents are uninsured?
8.3% of residents in Union County, Iowa have no health insurance, about 1 in 12 people, 3.3 points above the Iowa rate of 5.0%.
How common is obesity in Union County, Iowa?
36.0% of adults in Union County, Iowa are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.4 points below the Iowa rate of 37.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Union County, Iowa go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 17,407 cigarettes a day, 522,203 a month, or 6.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 191,474 minutes a day and 69.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Union County is 78.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.71 lifetimes a year.
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