Health Profile of Wellesley, Massachusetts
Wellesley 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+
Wellesley Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Wellesley | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 85.6 | 80.5 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 1.5% | 2.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 6.9% | 11.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Wellesley is 85.6 years, about 5.2 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5 years. The uninsured rate is 1.5%, lower than the Massachusetts average of 2.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 6.9% of residents, lower than the Massachusetts average of 11.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
10,277 residents in Wellesley are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 770 248 men · 521 women
- 75–84 1,471 622 men · 849 women
- 65–74 2,338 1,106 men · 1,232 women
- 50–64 5,698 2,855 men · 2,843 women
Younger residents
6,869 residents in Wellesley are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,426 1,294 boys · 1,132 girls
- 7–12 2,114 1,037 boys · 1,078 girls
- 3–7 1,389 668 boys · 722 girls
- 0–3 940 454 boys · 486 girls
About 282 residents in Wellesley (0.9% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 85.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Wellesley | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 6.6% | 8.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.1% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.4% | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 21.2% | 25.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Wellesley is about 24% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of diabetes in Wellesley is about 22% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of obesity in Wellesley is about 17% lower than in Massachusetts.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Wellesley | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 7.5% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.9% | 17.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 13.6% | 20.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Wellesley is about 46% lower than in Massachusetts. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Wellesley is about 33% lower than in Massachusetts.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 17,255 cigarettes a day, 517,663 a month, or 6.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 189,810 minutes a day and 69.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Wellesley is 85.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.54 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 | Wellesley | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.30 | 5.71 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Wellesley is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Wellesley, MA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Wellesley, MA is the smallest of the 4 cities compared here, 30,372 residents against a local median of 64,842. Where Wellesley, MA breaks from the cities next to it is uninsured, sitting 21% above the local median of 1.3% at 1.5%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 1.7% on uninsured, so Wellesley, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Wellesley, MA has the 3rd lowest uninsured of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellesley, MA | 30,372 | 85.6 yrs #1/4 | 1.5% #3/4 | 21.2% #3/4 |
| Needham, MA | 32,445 | 84.8 yrs | 1.2% | 22.0% |
| Newton, MA | 88,909 | 84.7 yrs | 1.3% | 18.9% |
| Waltham, MA | 64,842 | 82.6 yrs | 2.9% | 21.0% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wellesley, 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 Wellesley, Massachusetts.
What is the health grade for Wellesley, Massachusetts?
Wellesley, 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 Wellesley, Massachusetts?
People in Wellesley, Massachusetts can expect to live 85.6 years on average, 5.2 years longer than the Massachusetts average of 80.5.
How many people lack health insurance in Wellesley, Massachusetts?
1.5% of residents in Wellesley, Massachusetts have no health insurance, about 1 in 66 people, 1.1 points below the Massachusetts rate of 2.6%.
What is the obesity rate in Wellesley, Massachusetts?
21.2% of adults in Wellesley, Massachusetts are classified as obese, about 1 in 5, 4.4 points below the Massachusetts rate of 25.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Wellesley, Massachusetts go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 17,255 cigarettes a day, 517,663 a month, or 6.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 189,810 minutes a day and 69.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Wellesley is 85.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.54 lifetimes a year.
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