Health Profile of Arlington, Massachusetts
Arlington 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+
Arlington Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Arlington | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 83.7 | 80.5 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 1.0% | 2.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 7.1% | 11.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Arlington is 83.7 years, about 3.3 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5 years. The uninsured rate is 1.0%, lower than the Massachusetts average of 2.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 7.1% of residents, lower than the Massachusetts average of 11.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
17,069 residents in Arlington are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,031 326 men · 705 women
- 75–84 2,377 1,010 men · 1,366 women
- 65–74 4,213 1,949 men · 2,264 women
- 50–64 9,449 4,339 men · 5,109 women
Younger residents
8,938 residents in Arlington are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,675 1,353 boys · 1,322 girls
- 7–12 2,649 1,276 boys · 1,373 girls
- 3–7 2,073 1,022 boys · 1,051 girls
- 0–3 1,542 811 boys · 731 girls
About 1,292 residents in Arlington (2.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 83.7 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Arlington | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 6.6% | 8.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.3% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.5% | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 20.1% | 25.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Arlington is about 22% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of heart disease in Arlington is about 22% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of obesity in Arlington is about 21% lower than in Massachusetts.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Arlington | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 8.1% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.1% | 17.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 13.6% | 20.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Arlington is about 41% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Arlington is about 33% lower than in Massachusetts.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 29,966 cigarettes a day, 898,975 a month, or 10.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 329,624 minutes a day and 120.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Arlington is 83.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.73 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 | Arlington | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.95 | 5.71 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.0 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Arlington is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Arlington, MA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Arlington, MA is the 3rd largest of the 6 cities compared here, 46,270 residents against a local median of 35,594. Where Arlington, MA breaks from the cities next to it is uninsured, sitting 42% below the local median of 1.7% at 1.0%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 2.4% on uninsured, so Arlington, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Arlington, MA has the 2nd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington, MA | 46,270 | 83.7 yrs #1/6 | 1.0% #2/6 | 20.2% #4/6 |
| Belmont, MA | 27,165 | 83.1 yrs | 1.8% | 19.6% |
| Winchester, MA | 23,377 | 83.6 yrs | 1.0% | 19.3% |
| Watertown, MA | 35,594 | 81.8 yrs | 1.3% | 20.2% |
| Medford, MA | 59,237 | 80.5 yrs | 3.4% | 21.7% |
| Cambridge, MA | 117,266 | 82.1 yrs | 1.7% | 19.1% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Arlington, 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 Arlington, Massachusetts.
What is the health grade for Arlington, Massachusetts?
Arlington, 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 Arlington, Massachusetts?
People in Arlington, Massachusetts can expect to live 83.7 years on average, 3.3 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5.
How many people lack health insurance in Arlington, Massachusetts?
1.0% of residents in Arlington, Massachusetts have no health insurance, fewer than 1 in 100 people, 1.6 points below the Massachusetts rate of 2.6%.
What is the obesity rate in Arlington, Massachusetts?
20.2% of adults in Arlington, Massachusetts are classified as obese, about 1 in 5, 5.5 points below the Massachusetts rate of 25.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Arlington, Massachusetts go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 29,966 cigarettes a day, 898,975 a month, or 10.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 329,624 minutes a day and 120.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Arlington is 83.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.73 lifetimes a year.
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