Health Profile of Elk County, Kansas
Elk 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
Elk County Below averageAmong the 5 least healthy counties in Kansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Elk County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.5 | 78.6 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.4% | 8.8% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 19.4% | 15.3% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Elk County is 77.5 years, about 1.1 years shorter than the Kansas average of 78.6 years. The uninsured rate is 7.4%, lower than the Kansas average of 8.8%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 19.4% of residents, higher than the Kansas average of 15.3%.
Population by Age
Older residents
1,208 residents in Elk County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 95 40 men · 55 women
- 75–84 202 94 men · 108 women
- 65–74 358 168 men · 191 women
- 50–64 553 280 men · 273 women
Younger residents
512 residents in Elk County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 181 82 boys · 99 girls
- 7–12 152 77 boys · 75 girls
- 3–7 104 55 boys · 49 girls
- 0–3 75 35 boys · 40 girls
About 237 residents in Elk County (9.6% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 77.5 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Elk County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 14.9% | 11.8% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 8.9% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 10.2% | 7.7% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 40.9% | 37.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Elk County is about 33% higher than in Kansas. The rate of diabetes in Elk County is about 27% higher than in Kansas. The rate of cancer in Elk County is about 17% higher than in Kansas.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Elk County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 21.6% | 18.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.5% | 16.5% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 30.1% | 25.5% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Elk County is about 18% higher than in Kansas. The rate of smoking in Elk County is about 15% higher than in Kansas.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 4,074 cigarettes a day, 122,213 a month, or 1.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 44,811 minutes a day and 16.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Elk County is 77.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.40 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 | Elk County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.37 | 6.38 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Elk County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Elk County, KS Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Elk County, KS is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 2,453 residents against a local median of 8,505. Where Elk County, KS breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 17% below the local median of 9.0% at 7.4%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 4.2% on uninsured, so Elk County, KS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Elk County, KS has the 2nd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk County, KS | 2,453 | 77.5 yrs #1/6 | 7.4% #2/6 | 40.9% #5/6 |
| Chautauqua County, KS | 3,370 | 77.4 yrs | 11.4% | 39.8% |
| Greenwood County, KS | 5,919 | 76.1 yrs | 9.0% | 38.7% |
| Wilson County, KS | 8,505 | 74.8 yrs | 7.2% | 39.1% |
| Montgomery County, KS | 30,940 | 75.9 yrs | 10.8% | 41.2% |
| Cowley County, KS | 34,411 | 76.4 yrs | 8.1% | 39.4% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Elk County, Kansas has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with Kansas, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Elk County, Kansas.
How healthy is Elk County, Kansas?
Elk County, Kansas 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 Elk County, Kansas one of the healthiest counties in Kansas?
Elk County ranks 102nd healthiest out of 105 counties in Kansas by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
How long do people live in Elk County, Kansas?
People in Elk County, Kansas can expect to live 77.5 years on average, 1.1 years shorter than the Kansas average of 78.6.
What percentage of Elk County, Kansas residents are uninsured?
7.4% of residents in Elk County, Kansas have no health insurance, about 1 in 13 people, 1.3 points below the Kansas rate of 8.8%.
What is the obesity rate in Elk County, Kansas?
40.9% of adults in Elk County, Kansas are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 3.6 points above the Kansas rate of 37.3%.
Which health problem stands out most in Elk County, Kansas?
Compared with Kansas as a whole, heart disease stands out most: the adult rate here is 10.2%, about 33% higher than the Kansas rate of 7.7%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Elk County, Kansas go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 4,074 cigarettes a day, 122,213 a month, or 1.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 44,811 minutes a day and 16.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Elk County is 77.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.40 lifetimes a year.
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