Health Profile of Alexander County, Illinois
Alexander 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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C
Alexander County Below averageLeast healthy county in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Alexander County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 74.5 | 77.9 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 9.5% | 6.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 21.9% | 15.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Alexander County is 74.5 years, about 3.4 years shorter than the Illinois average of 77.9 years. The uninsured rate is 9.5%, higher than the Illinois average of 6.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 21.9% of residents, higher than the Illinois average of 15.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
2,045 residents in Alexander County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 107 29 men · 78 women
- 75–84 312 133 men · 178 women
- 65–74 594 298 men · 296 women
- 50–64 1,033 516 men · 517 women
Younger residents
1,043 residents in Alexander County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 308 139 boys · 170 girls
- 7–12 323 157 boys · 166 girls
- 3–7 240 128 boys · 113 girls
- 0–3 171 97 boys · 74 girls
About 446 residents in Alexander County (9.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 74.5 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Alexander County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 15.3% | 10.7% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.9% | 7.1% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.4% | 7.1% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 43.8% | 36.1% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Alexander County is about 42% higher than in Illinois. The rate of obesity in Alexander County is about 21% higher than in Illinois. The rate of heart disease in Alexander County is about 19% higher than in Illinois.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Alexander County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 22.8% | 19.2% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 12.5% | 14.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 34.1% | 26.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Alexander County is about 30% higher than in Illinois. The rate of smoking in Alexander County is about 19% higher than in Illinois. The rate of binge drinking in Alexander County is about 16% lower than in Illinois.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 8,731 cigarettes a day, 261,928 a month, or 3.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 96,040 minutes a day and 35.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Alexander County is 74.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.90 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 | Alexander County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.76 | 7.63 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.8 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Alexander County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Alexander County, IL Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Alexander County, IL is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 4,873 residents against a local median of 11,898. Where Alexander County, IL breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 48% above the local median of 6.4% at 9.5%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 6.3% on uninsured, so Alexander County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Alexander County, IL has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander County, IL | 4,873 | 74.5 yrs #6/6 | 9.5% #4/6 | 43.8% #5/6 |
| Pulaski County, IL | 5,015 | 75.2 yrs | 4.7% | 43.2% |
| Scott County, MO | 37,932 | 77.2 yrs | 10.7% | 43.8% |
| Union County, IL | 16,997 | 76.7 yrs | 6.4% | 36.6% |
| Ballard County, KY | 7,652 | 75.9 yrs | 4.8% | 39.2% |
| Mississippi County, MO | 11,898 | 75.7 yrs | 10.9% | 42.4% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Alexander County, Illinois has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with Illinois, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Alexander County, Illinois.
How healthy is Alexander County, Illinois?
Alexander County, Illinois has a Map AI Health Index grade of C, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average.
Is Alexander County, Illinois one of the healthiest counties in Illinois?
No. Alexander County ranks last of 102 counties in Illinois by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Alexander County, Illinois?
People in Alexander County, Illinois can expect to live 74.5 years on average, 3.4 years shorter than the Illinois average of 77.9.
What percentage of Alexander County, Illinois residents are uninsured?
9.5% of residents in Alexander County, Illinois have no health insurance, about 1 in 11 people, 2.6 points above the Illinois rate of 6.9%.
How common is obesity in Alexander County, Illinois?
43.8% of adults in Alexander County, Illinois are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 7.7 points above the Illinois rate of 36.1%.
What health issue is more common in Alexander County, Illinois than elsewhere?
Compared with Illinois as a whole, diabetes stands out most: the adult rate here is 15.3%, about 42% higher than the Illinois rate of 10.7%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Alexander County, Illinois go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 8,731 cigarettes a day, 261,928 a month, or 3.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 96,040 minutes a day and 35.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Alexander County is 74.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.90 lifetimes a year.
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