Health Profile of Salem, Massachusetts
Salem 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
Salem Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Salem | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 81.1 | 80.5 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 3.0% | 2.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 11.7% | 11.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Salem is 81.1 years, about 0.6 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5 years. The uninsured rate is 3.0%, higher than the Massachusetts average of 2.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 11.7% of residents, lower than the Massachusetts average of 11.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
14,704 residents in Salem are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 889 238 men · 651 women
- 75–84 1,926 843 men · 1,083 women
- 65–74 3,636 1,424 men · 2,212 women
- 50–64 8,253 3,855 men · 4,398 women
Younger residents
7,029 residents in Salem are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,979 1,047 boys · 932 girls
- 7–12 2,058 998 boys · 1,060 girls
- 3–7 1,690 813 boys · 877 girls
- 0–3 1,303 681 boys · 622 girls
About 1,464 residents in Salem (3.4% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 81.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Salem | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 7.8% | 8.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.1% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.1% | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 26.7% | 25.6% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Salem are about the same as in Massachusetts.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Salem | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 13.6% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.1% | 17.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 22.2% | 20.3% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Salem are about the same as in Massachusetts.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 49,662 cigarettes a day, 1.5 million a month, or 18.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 546,285 minutes a day and 199.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Salem is 81.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.68 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 | Salem | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.19 | 5.71 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Salem is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Salem, MA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Salem, MA is the 2nd largest of the 5 cities compared here, 43,365 residents against a local median of 35,343. Where Salem, MA breaks from the cities next to it is uninsured, sitting 59% above the local median of 1.9% at 3.0%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 3.5% on uninsured, so Salem, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Salem, MA has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, MA | 43,365 | 81.1 yrs #2/5 | 3.0% #4/5 | 26.7% #4/5 |
| Marblehead, MA | 20,308 | 85.6 yrs | 0.6% | 24.1% |
| Beverly, MA | 42,584 | 79.5 yrs | 2.4% | 25.0% |
| Danvers, MA | 28,103 | 80.7 yrs | 1.4% | 25.2% |
| Lynn, MA | 101,709 | 78.2 yrs | 4.1% | 30.4% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Salem, Massachusetts has an overall health index grade of A, making it somewhat better than Massachusetts, and notably better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Salem, Massachusetts.
What is the health grade for Salem, Massachusetts?
Salem, 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 much healthier than the U.S. average.
What is the average lifespan in Salem, Massachusetts?
People in Salem, Massachusetts can expect to live 81.1 years on average, 0.6 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5.
What is the uninsured rate in Salem, Massachusetts?
3.0% of residents in Salem, Massachusetts have no health insurance, about 1 in 33 people, about the same as the Massachusetts rate of 2.6%.
What percentage of Salem, Massachusetts residents are obese?
26.7% of adults in Salem, Massachusetts are classified as obese, about 1 in 4, 1.1 points above the Massachusetts rate of 25.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Salem, Massachusetts go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 49,662 cigarettes a day, 1.5 million a month, or 18.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 546,285 minutes a day and 199.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Salem is 81.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.68 lifetimes a year.
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