Health Profile of Needham, Massachusetts
Needham 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+
Needham Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Needham | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 84.8 | 80.5 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 1.2% | 2.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 7.1% | 11.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Needham is 84.8 years, about 4.3 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5 years. The uninsured rate is 1.2%, 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
12,612 residents in Needham are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,269 436 men · 833 women
- 75–84 1,647 797 men · 850 women
- 65–74 2,826 1,368 men · 1,458 women
- 50–64 6,869 3,303 men · 3,566 women
Younger residents
8,378 residents in Needham are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,795 1,383 boys · 1,412 girls
- 7–12 2,749 1,363 boys · 1,386 girls
- 3–7 1,795 891 boys · 903 girls
- 0–3 1,039 509 boys · 530 girls
About 1,306 residents in Needham (4.0% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 84.8 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Needham | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 7.1% | 8.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 8.1% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.0% | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 22.0% | 25.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Needham is about 17% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of cancer in Needham is about 16% higher than in Massachusetts.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Needham | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 7.8% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.9% | 17.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 13.7% | 20.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Needham is about 44% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Needham is about 33% lower than in Massachusetts.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 18,261 cigarettes a day, 547,817 a month, or 6.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 200,866 minutes a day and 73.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Needham is 84.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.65 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 | Needham | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.29 | 5.71 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Needham is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Needham, MA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Needham, MA is typical in size for this group, 32,445 residents against a local median of 30,956, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Needham, MA breaks from the cities next to it is uninsured, sitting 22% below the local median of 1.5% at 1.2%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 1.1% on uninsured, so Needham, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Needham, MA has the lowest uninsured of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Needham, MA | 32,445 | 84.8 yrs #2/5 | 1.2% #1/5 | 22.0% #3/5 |
| Wellesley, MA | 30,372 | 85.6 yrs | 1.5% | 21.2% |
| Newton, MA | 88,909 | 84.7 yrs | 1.3% | 18.9% |
| Dedham, MA | 25,193 | 80.2 yrs | 1.5% | 24.5% |
| Norwood, MA | 31,539 | 79.9 yrs | 2.4% | 24.4% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Needham, 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 Needham, Massachusetts.
What is the health grade for Needham, Massachusetts?
Needham, 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.
How long do people live in Needham, Massachusetts?
People in Needham, Massachusetts can expect to live 84.8 years on average, 4.3 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5.
What is the uninsured rate in Needham, Massachusetts?
1.2% of residents in Needham, Massachusetts have no health insurance, about 1 in 84 people, 1.4 points below the Massachusetts rate of 2.6%.
What is the obesity rate in Needham, Massachusetts?
22.0% of adults in Needham, Massachusetts are classified as obese, about 1 in 5, 3.6 points below the Massachusetts rate of 25.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Needham, Massachusetts go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 18,261 cigarettes a day, 547,817 a month, or 6.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 200,866 minutes a day and 73.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Needham is 84.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.65 lifetimes a year.
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