Health Profile of Amherst Town, Massachusetts
Amherst Town 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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A+
Amherst Town Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Amherst Town | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 84.3 | 80.5 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 2.2% | 2.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 9.2% | 11.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Amherst Town is 84.3 years, about 3.9 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5 years. The uninsured rate is 2.2%, lower than the Massachusetts average of 2.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 9.2% of residents, lower than the Massachusetts average of 11.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
6,757 residents in Amherst Town are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 401 115 men · 285 women
- 75–84 958 414 men · 544 women
- 65–74 1,852 890 men · 962 women
- 50–64 3,547 1,718 men · 1,829 women
Younger residents
3,168 residents in Amherst Town are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,125 595 boys · 530 girls
- 7–12 859 435 boys · 425 girls
- 3–7 674 308 boys · 366 girls
- 0–3 510 217 boys · 293 girls
About 453 residents in Amherst Town (1.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 84.3 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Amherst Town | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 5.0% | 8.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 3.3% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 3.2% | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 19.3% | 25.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in Amherst Town is about 52% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of heart disease in Amherst Town is about 45% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of diabetes in Amherst Town is about 42% lower than in Massachusetts.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Amherst Town | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 10.4% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 19.0% | 17.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 16.5% | 20.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Amherst Town is about 25% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Amherst Town is about 19% lower than in Massachusetts.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 36,634 cigarettes a day, 1.1 million a month, or 13.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 402,973 minutes a day and 147.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Amherst Town is 84.3 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.32 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 | Amherst Town | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.42 | 5.71 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Amherst Town is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Amherst Town, MA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Amherst Town, MA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst Town, MA | 38,191 | 84.3 yrs #1/2 | 2.2% #2/2 | 19.3% #1/2 |
| Northampton, MA | 30,986 | 80.2 yrs | 1.4% | 21.8% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Amherst Town, Massachusetts has an overall health index grade of A+, making it notably better than Massachusetts, and far better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Amherst Town, Massachusetts.
Is Amherst Town, Massachusetts a healthy place to live?
Amherst Town, Massachusetts has a Map AI Health Index grade of A+, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; an A+ grade means residents are among the healthiest and longest-living in the country.
What is the average lifespan in Amherst Town, Massachusetts?
People in Amherst Town, Massachusetts can expect to live 84.3 years on average, 3.9 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5.
What percentage of Amherst Town, Massachusetts residents are uninsured?
2.2% of residents in Amherst Town, Massachusetts have no health insurance, about 1 in 46 people, about the same as the Massachusetts rate of 2.6%.
What is the obesity rate in Amherst Town, Massachusetts?
19.3% of adults in Amherst Town, Massachusetts are classified as obese, about 1 in 5, 6.3 points below the Massachusetts rate of 25.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Amherst Town, Massachusetts go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 36,634 cigarettes a day, 1.1 million a month, or 13.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 402,973 minutes a day and 147.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Amherst Town is 84.3 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.32 lifetimes a year.
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