Health Profile of Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda 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+
Bethesda Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Bethesda | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 85.8 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 2.2% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 6.2% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Bethesda is 85.8 years, about 7.4 years longer than the Maryland average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 2.2%, lower than the Maryland average of 6.3%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 6.2% of residents, lower than the Maryland average of 13.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
28,675 residents in Bethesda are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 2,217 867 men · 1,350 women
- 75–84 4,159 1,841 men · 2,318 women
- 65–74 6,984 3,270 men · 3,713 women
- 50–64 15,315 7,328 men · 7,987 women
Younger residents
15,493 residents in Bethesda are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 4,975 2,734 boys · 2,241 girls
- 7–12 4,876 2,513 boys · 2,363 girls
- 3–7 3,419 1,737 boys · 1,682 girls
- 0–3 2,223 1,227 boys · 996 girls
About 511 residents in Bethesda (0.7% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 85.8 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Bethesda | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 6.6% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.3% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.6% | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 18.0% | 34.0% | 34.3% |
The rate of obesity in Bethesda is about 47% lower than in Maryland. The rate of diabetes in Bethesda is about 38% lower than in Maryland. The rate of heart disease in Bethesda is about 23% lower than in Maryland.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Bethesda | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 5.8% | 15.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 13.1% | 14.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 11.7% | 22.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Bethesda is about 64% lower than in Maryland. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Bethesda is about 49% lower than in Maryland.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 31,862 cigarettes a day, 955,863 a month, or 11.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 350,483 minutes a day and 127.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Bethesda is 85.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.84 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 | Bethesda | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.50 | 5.95 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.5 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Bethesda is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Bethesda, Maryland has an overall health index grade of A+, making it far better than Maryland, and far better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Bethesda, Maryland.
How healthy is Bethesda, Maryland?
Bethesda, Maryland 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 Bethesda, Maryland?
People in Bethesda, Maryland can expect to live 85.8 years on average, 7.4 years longer than the Maryland average of 78.4.
How many people lack health insurance in Bethesda, Maryland?
2.2% of residents in Bethesda, Maryland have no health insurance, about 1 in 46 people, 4.1 points below the Maryland rate of 6.3%.
What is the obesity rate in Bethesda, Maryland?
18.0% of adults in Bethesda, Maryland are classified as obese, about 1 in 6, 16.0 points below the Maryland rate of 34.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Bethesda, Maryland go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 31,862 cigarettes a day, 955,863 a month, or 11.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 350,483 minutes a day and 127.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Bethesda is 85.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.84 lifetimes a year.
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