Health Profile of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge 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+
Cambridge Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Cambridge | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 82.1 | 80.5 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 1.7% | 2.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 6.4% | 11.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Cambridge is 82.1 years, about 1.7 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5 years. The uninsured rate is 1.7%, lower than the Massachusetts average of 2.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 6.4% of residents, lower than the Massachusetts average of 11.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
26,923 residents in Cambridge are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,660 641 men · 1,019 women
- 75–84 3,902 1,638 men · 2,264 women
- 65–74 7,737 3,420 men · 4,317 women
- 50–64 13,624 6,577 men · 7,046 women
Younger residents
13,977 residents in Cambridge are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 3,638 1,902 boys · 1,736 girls
- 7–12 3,787 2,111 boys · 1,676 girls
- 3–7 3,579 1,997 boys · 1,582 girls
- 0–3 2,973 1,652 boys · 1,321 girls
About 2,568 residents in Cambridge (2.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 82.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Cambridge | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 5.2% | 8.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.7% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 3.1% | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 19.1% | 25.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Cambridge is about 46% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of diabetes in Cambridge is about 39% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of cancer in Cambridge is about 32% lower than in Massachusetts.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Cambridge | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 7.7% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 18.1% | 17.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 13.0% | 20.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Cambridge is about 45% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Cambridge is about 36% lower than in Massachusetts.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 78,856 cigarettes a day, 2.4 million a month, or 28.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 867,417 minutes a day and 316.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Cambridge is 82.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 7.33 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 | Cambridge | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.94 | 5.71 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.9 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Cambridge is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Cambridge, MA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Cambridge, MA is the largest of the 6 cities compared here, 117,266 residents against a local median of 59,237. The measure that sets Cambridge, MA apart most is uninsured: 1.7%, 32% above the local median of 1.3%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 2.4% on uninsured, so Cambridge, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Cambridge, MA has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge, MA | 117,266 | 82.1 yrs #3/6 | 1.7% #4/6 | 19.1% #1/6 |
| Somerville, MA | 81,027 | 80.6 yrs | 1.9% | 20.2% |
| Medford, MA | 59,237 | 80.5 yrs | 3.4% | 21.7% |
| Brookline, MA | 63,198 | 82.5 yrs | 1.0% | 20.9% |
| Watertown, MA | 35,594 | 81.8 yrs | 1.3% | 20.2% |
| Arlington, MA | 46,270 | 83.7 yrs | 1.0% | 20.2% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Cambridge, 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 Cambridge, Massachusetts.
How healthy is Cambridge, Massachusetts?
Cambridge, 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 life expectancy in Cambridge, Massachusetts?
People in Cambridge, Massachusetts can expect to live 82.1 years on average, 1.7 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5.
How many people lack health insurance in Cambridge, Massachusetts?
1.7% of residents in Cambridge, Massachusetts have no health insurance, about 1 in 58 people, 0.9 points below the Massachusetts rate of 2.6%.
How common is obesity in Cambridge, Massachusetts?
19.1% of adults in Cambridge, Massachusetts are classified as obese, about 1 in 5, 6.5 points below the Massachusetts rate of 25.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Cambridge, Massachusetts go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 78,856 cigarettes a day, 2.4 million a month, or 28.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 867,417 minutes a day and 316.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Cambridge is 82.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 7.33 lifetimes a year.
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