Health Profile of Watertown, Massachusetts
Watertown 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+
Watertown Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Watertown | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 81.8 | 80.5 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 1.3% | 2.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 7.2% | 11.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Watertown is 81.8 years, about 1.4 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5 years. The uninsured rate is 1.3%, lower than the Massachusetts average of 2.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 7.2% of residents, lower than the Massachusetts average of 11.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
12,684 residents in Watertown are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 828 272 men · 556 women
- 75–84 1,757 755 men · 1,002 women
- 65–74 3,247 1,469 men · 1,777 women
- 50–64 6,852 3,016 men · 3,836 women
Younger residents
5,027 residents in Watertown are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,212 564 boys · 649 girls
- 7–12 1,235 521 boys · 714 girls
- 3–7 1,337 640 boys · 698 girls
- 0–3 1,243 623 boys · 620 girls
About 1,315 residents in Watertown (3.7% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 81.8 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Watertown | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 6.3% | 8.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.7% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.3% | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 20.2% | 25.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Watertown is about 26% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of heart disease in Watertown is about 25% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of obesity in Watertown is about 21% lower than in Massachusetts.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Watertown | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 8.6% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.1% | 17.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 13.8% | 20.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Watertown is about 38% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Watertown is about 32% lower than in Massachusetts.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 26,369 cigarettes a day, 791,073 a month, or 9.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 290,060 minutes a day and 105.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Watertown is 81.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.46 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 | Watertown | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.06 | 5.71 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.1 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Watertown is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Watertown, MA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Watertown, MA is the 5th largest of the 6 cities compared here, 35,594 residents against a local median of 63,198. There is no headline here. Every measure below sits within 15% of the median across the nearest cities, which makes Watertown, MA an unremarkable member of its own neighbourhood rather than an outlier in it.
The largest of those small differences is uninsured, 3% above the local median at 1.3% against 1.3%. Watertown, MA has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown, MA | 35,594 | 81.8 yrs #6/6 | 1.3% #4/6 | 20.2% #5/6 |
| Belmont, MA | 27,165 | 83.1 yrs | 1.8% | 19.6% |
| Newton, MA | 88,909 | 84.7 yrs | 1.3% | 18.9% |
| Arlington, MA | 46,270 | 83.7 yrs | 1.0% | 20.2% |
| Brookline, MA | 63,198 | 82.5 yrs | 1.0% | 20.9% |
| Cambridge, MA | 117,266 | 82.1 yrs | 1.7% | 19.1% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Watertown, Massachusetts has an overall health index grade of A+, making it somewhat better than Massachusetts, and far better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Watertown, Massachusetts.
How healthy is Watertown, Massachusetts?
Watertown, 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 Watertown, Massachusetts?
People in Watertown, Massachusetts can expect to live 81.8 years on average, 1.4 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5.
How many people lack health insurance in Watertown, Massachusetts?
1.3% of residents in Watertown, Massachusetts have no health insurance, about 1 in 77 people, 1.3 points below the Massachusetts rate of 2.6%.
How common is obesity in Watertown, Massachusetts?
20.2% of adults in Watertown, Massachusetts are classified as obese, about 1 in 5, 5.4 points below the Massachusetts rate of 25.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Watertown, Massachusetts go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 26,369 cigarettes a day, 791,073 a month, or 9.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 290,060 minutes a day and 105.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Watertown is 81.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.46 lifetimes a year.
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