Health Profile of Washington County, Iowa
Washington 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
Washington County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Washington County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 79.9 | 79.2 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.6% | 5.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 13.9% | 13.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Washington County is 79.9 years, about 0.7 years longer than the Iowa average of 79.2 years. The uninsured rate is 7.6%, higher than the Iowa average of 5.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 13.9% of residents, higher than the Iowa average of 13.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
8,645 residents in Washington County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 596 162 men · 434 women
- 75–84 1,411 633 men · 778 women
- 65–74 2,275 1,122 men · 1,153 women
- 50–64 4,363 2,205 men · 2,158 women
Younger residents
5,276 residents in Washington County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,715 878 boys · 837 girls
- 7–12 1,526 780 boys · 746 girls
- 3–7 1,149 584 boys · 565 girls
- 0–3 886 435 boys · 452 girls
About 1,183 residents in Washington County (5.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 79.9 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Washington County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.6% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.6% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.3% | 7.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 39.1% | 37.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Washington County are about the same as in Iowa.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Washington County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 17.4% | 17.6% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 20.2% | 20.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 25.9% | 25.4% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Washington County are about the same as in Iowa.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 29,696 cigarettes a day, 890,885 a month, or 10.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 326,658 minutes a day and 119.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Washington County is 79.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.84 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 | Washington County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.24 | 6.49 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Washington County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Washington County, IA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Washington County, IA is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 22,560 residents against a local median of 15,705. The measure that sets Washington County, IA apart most is uninsured: 7.6%, 61% above the local median of 4.7%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.7% on uninsured, so Washington County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Washington County, IA has the 6th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, IA | 22,560 | 79.9 yrs #4/6 | 7.6% #6/6 | 39.1% #6/6 |
| Johnson County, IA | 156,634 | 82.6 yrs | 4.7% | 28.1% |
| Jefferson County, IA | 15,705 | 80.3 yrs | 6.7% | 32.1% |
| Henry County, IA | 20,002 | 79.8 yrs | 4.7% | 36.7% |
| Keokuk County, IA | 7,337 | 79.8 yrs | 4.0% | 37.8% |
| Louisa County, IA | 10,678 | 80.7 yrs | 4.8% | 37.9% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Washington 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 Washington County, Iowa.
What is the health grade for Washington County, Iowa?
Washington 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 Washington County, Iowa one of the healthiest counties in Iowa?
Washington County ranks 57th 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 Washington County, Iowa?
People in Washington County, Iowa can expect to live 79.9 years on average, 0.7 years longer than the Iowa average of 79.2.
What percentage of Washington County, Iowa residents are uninsured?
7.6% of residents in Washington County, Iowa have no health insurance, about 1 in 13 people, 2.6 points above the Iowa rate of 5.0%.
What percentage of Washington County, Iowa residents are obese?
39.1% of adults in Washington County, Iowa are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.8 points above the Iowa rate of 37.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Washington County, Iowa go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 29,696 cigarettes a day, 890,885 a month, or 10.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 326,658 minutes a day and 119.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Washington County is 79.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.84 lifetimes a year.
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