Health Profile of East Chicago, Indiana
East Chicago 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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F
East Chicago Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | East Chicago | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 73.8 | 77.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 12.1% | 7.4% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 32.3% | 17.1% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in East Chicago is 73.8 years, about 3.6 years shorter than the Indiana average of 77.4 years. The uninsured rate is 12.1%, higher than the Indiana average of 7.4%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 32.3% of residents, higher than the Indiana average of 17.1%.
Population by Age
Older residents
7,433 residents in East Chicago are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 435 181 men · 254 women
- 75–84 992 449 men · 543 women
- 65–74 1,819 798 men · 1,021 women
- 50–64 4,187 2,064 men · 2,123 women
Younger residents
6,543 residents in East Chicago are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,925 982 boys · 943 girls
- 7–12 1,978 1,040 boys · 937 girls
- 3–7 1,543 788 boys · 755 girls
- 0–3 1,097 518 boys · 579 girls
About 1,626 residents in East Chicago (6.5% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 73.8 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | East Chicago | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 19.8% | 11.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.8% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.8% | 7.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 49.7% | 38.8% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in East Chicago is about 72% higher than in Indiana. The rate of cancer in East Chicago is about 30% lower than in Indiana. The rate of obesity in East Chicago is about 28% higher than in Indiana.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | East Chicago | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 26.7% | 22.4% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 12.6% | 16.1% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 44.5% | 27.6% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in East Chicago is about 61% higher than in Indiana. The rate of binge drinking in East Chicago is about 21% lower than in Indiana. The rate of smoking in East Chicago is about 19% higher than in Indiana.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 49,771 cigarettes a day, 1.5 million a month, or 18.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 547,481 minutes a day and 199.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in East Chicago is 73.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 5.15 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 | East Chicago | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 8.36 | 7.71 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 8.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in East Chicago is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
East Chicago, IN Health Compared With Nearby Cities
East Chicago, IN is the 3rd largest of the 4 cities compared here, 24,991 residents against a local median of 34,245. Where East Chicago, IN breaks from the cities next to it is uninsured, sitting 38% above the local median of 8.8% at 12.1%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Obesity tells the same story from another angle: 49.7% against a local median of 38.0%, 31% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: East Chicago, IN reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The cities themselves spread 6.0% on uninsured, so East Chicago, IN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. East Chicago, IN has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Chicago, IN | 24,991 | 73.8 yrs #4/4 | 12.1% #4/4 | 49.7% #4/4 |
| Hammond, IN | 76,072 | 74.5 yrs | 10.3% | 42.3% |
| Highland, IN | 23,705 | 78.8 yrs | 4.3% | 34.9% |
| Calumet City, IL | 34,245 | 75.4 yrs | 8.8% | 38.0% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, East Chicago, Indiana has an overall health index grade of F, making it somewhat worse than Indiana, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in East Chicago, Indiana.
Is East Chicago, Indiana a healthy place to live?
East Chicago, Indiana has a Map AI Health Index grade of F, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; an F grade means residents face significantly worse health outcomes than the U.S. average.
What is the average lifespan in East Chicago, Indiana?
People in East Chicago, Indiana can expect to live 73.8 years on average, 3.6 years shorter than the Indiana average of 77.4.
How many people lack health insurance in East Chicago, Indiana?
12.1% of residents in East Chicago, Indiana have no health insurance, about 1 in 8 people, 4.8 points above the Indiana rate of 7.4%.
What is the obesity rate in East Chicago, Indiana?
49.7% of adults in East Chicago, Indiana are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 10.9 points above the Indiana rate of 38.8%.
What health issue is more common in East Chicago, Indiana than elsewhere?
Compared with Indiana as a whole, diabetes stands out most: the adult rate here is 19.8%, about 72% higher than the Indiana rate of 11.5%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in East Chicago, Indiana go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 49,771 cigarettes a day, 1.5 million a month, or 18.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 547,481 minutes a day and 199.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in East Chicago is 73.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 5.15 lifetimes a year.
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