Health Profile of Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore 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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C
Baltimore Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Baltimore | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 73.1 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.9% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 18.9% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Baltimore is 73.1 years, about 5.3 years shorter than the Maryland average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 5.9%, lower than the Maryland average of 6.3%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 18.9% of residents, higher than the Maryland average of 13.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
183,614 residents in Baltimore are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 9,190 2,750 men · 6,440 women
- 75–84 23,395 8,972 men · 14,423 women
- 65–74 47,768 20,566 men · 27,202 women
- 50–64 103,262 47,483 men · 55,779 women
Younger residents
112,203 residents in Baltimore are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 33,270 17,093 boys · 16,177 girls
- 7–12 31,967 16,401 boys · 15,565 girls
- 3–7 26,085 13,226 boys · 12,859 girls
- 0–3 20,881 10,602 boys · 10,279 girls
About 40,400 residents in Baltimore (7.0% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 73.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Baltimore | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 13.8% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.3% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.7% | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 37.6% | 34.0% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Baltimore is about 30% higher than in Maryland. The rate of cancer in Baltimore is about 22% lower than in Maryland.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Baltimore | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 20.9% | 15.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.6% | 14.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 26.5% | 22.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Baltimore is about 31% higher than in Maryland. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Baltimore is about 16% higher than in Maryland.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 948,660 cigarettes a day, 28.5 million a month, or 346.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 10.4 million minutes a day and 3.8 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Baltimore is 73.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.27 lifetimes a day, or 99 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 | Baltimore | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.37 | 5.95 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Baltimore is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Baltimore, MD Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Baltimore, MD compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore, MD | 573,154 | 73.1 yrs #3/3 | 5.9% #3/3 | 37.6% #3/3 |
| Towson, MD | 60,458 | 81.0 yrs | 2.6% | 26.1% |
| Arbutus, MD | 22,506 | 77.8 yrs | 5.8% | 29.5% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Baltimore, Maryland has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with Maryland, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Baltimore, Maryland.
How healthy is Baltimore, Maryland?
Baltimore, Maryland has a Map AI Health Index grade of C, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average.
What is the life expectancy in Baltimore, Maryland?
People in Baltimore, Maryland can expect to live 73.1 years on average, 5.3 years shorter than the Maryland average of 78.4.
What percentage of Baltimore, Maryland residents are uninsured?
5.9% of residents in Baltimore, Maryland have no health insurance, about 1 in 17 people, about the same as the Maryland rate of 6.3%.
What is the obesity rate in Baltimore, Maryland?
37.6% of adults in Baltimore, Maryland are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 3.6 points above the Maryland rate of 34.0%.
What health issue is more common in Baltimore, Maryland than elsewhere?
Compared with Maryland as a whole, smoking stands out most: the adult rate here is 20.9%, about 31% higher than the Maryland rate of 15.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Baltimore, Maryland go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 948,660 cigarettes a day, 28.5 million a month, or 346.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 10.4 million minutes a day and 3.8 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Baltimore is 73.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.27 lifetimes a day, or 99 lifetimes a year.
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