Health Profile of Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell 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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B
Lowell Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Lowell | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.5 | 80.5 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 4.1% | 2.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 14.5% | 11.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Lowell is 77.5 years, about 3.0 years shorter than the Massachusetts average of 80.5 years. The uninsured rate is 4.1%, higher than the Massachusetts average of 2.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 14.5% of residents, higher than the Massachusetts average of 11.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
35,024 residents in Lowell are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,573 460 men · 1,113 women
- 75–84 4,027 1,700 men · 2,327 women
- 65–74 8,070 3,705 men · 4,365 women
- 50–64 21,353 10,501 men · 10,852 women
Younger residents
24,530 residents in Lowell are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 7,253 3,629 boys · 3,624 girls
- 7–12 7,295 3,582 boys · 3,713 girls
- 3–7 5,674 2,849 boys · 2,825 girls
- 0–3 4,308 2,248 boys · 2,060 girls
About 4,437 residents in Lowell (3.8% 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 | Lowell | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 9.4% | 8.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.0% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.2% | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 24.3% | 25.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in Lowell is about 28% lower than in Massachusetts.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Lowell | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 16.3% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.2% | 17.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 25.2% | 20.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Lowell is about 24% higher than in Massachusetts. The rate of smoking in Lowell is about 17% higher than in Massachusetts.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 150,668 cigarettes a day, 4.5 million a month, or 55.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.7 million minutes a day and 604.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Lowell is 77.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 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 | Lowell | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.72 | 5.71 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.7 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Lowell is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Lowell, MA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Lowell, MA is the largest of the 4 cities compared here, 118,320 residents against a local median of 53,422. Lowell, MA's uninsured, at 4.1%, runs 23% above the 3.3% typical of the cities around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 4.6% on uninsured, so Lowell, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lowell, MA has the 3rd lowest uninsured of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell, MA | 118,320 | 77.5 yrs #4/4 | 4.1% #3/4 | 24.3% #2/4 |
| Methuen, MA | 53,422 | 80.3 yrs | 3.3% | 27.1% |
| Lawrence, MA | 88,771 | 78.6 yrs | 5.5% | 34.2% |
| Wilmington, MA | 23,238 | 81.4 yrs | 0.9% | 22.1% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lowell, Massachusetts has an overall health index grade of B, making it about on par with Massachusetts, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Lowell, Massachusetts.
How healthy is Lowell, Massachusetts?
Lowell, Massachusetts has a Map AI Health Index grade of B, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a B grade means residents are somewhat healthier than the U.S. average.
How long do people live in Lowell, Massachusetts?
People in Lowell, Massachusetts can expect to live 77.5 years on average, 3.0 years shorter than the Massachusetts average of 80.5.
What percentage of Lowell, Massachusetts residents are uninsured?
4.1% of residents in Lowell, Massachusetts have no health insurance, about 1 in 24 people, 1.5 points above the Massachusetts rate of 2.6%.
What percentage of Lowell, Massachusetts residents are obese?
24.3% of adults in Lowell, Massachusetts are classified as obese, about 1 in 4, 1.3 points below the Massachusetts rate of 25.6%.
Which health problem stands out most in Lowell, Massachusetts?
Compared with Massachusetts as a whole, physical inactivity stands out most: the adult rate here is 25.2%, about 24% higher than the Massachusetts rate of 20.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Lowell, Massachusetts go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 150,668 cigarettes a day, 4.5 million a month, or 55.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.7 million minutes a day and 604.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Lowell is 77.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 15 lifetimes a year.
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