Health Profile of Columbia, Maryland
Columbia 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+
Columbia Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Columbia | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 82.1 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 4.6% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 8.6% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Columbia is 82.1 years, about 3.7 years longer than the Maryland average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 4.6%, lower than the Maryland average of 6.3%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 8.6% of residents, lower than the Maryland average of 13.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
36,033 residents in Columbia are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,825 536 men · 1,289 women
- 75–84 4,525 1,931 men · 2,594 women
- 65–74 9,131 4,242 men · 4,890 women
- 50–64 20,553 9,718 men · 10,834 women
Younger residents
21,420 residents in Columbia are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 6,986 3,649 boys · 3,336 girls
- 7–12 6,235 3,400 boys · 2,835 girls
- 3–7 4,658 2,475 boys · 2,183 girls
- 0–3 3,541 1,844 boys · 1,697 girls
About 2,824 residents in Columbia (2.7% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 82.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Columbia | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 8.4% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.6% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.1% | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 27.5% | 34.0% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Columbia is about 31% lower than in Maryland. The rate of diabetes in Columbia is about 20% lower than in Maryland. The rate of obesity in Columbia is about 19% lower than in Maryland.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Columbia | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 9.6% | 15.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 12.9% | 14.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 16.8% | 22.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Columbia is about 40% lower than in Maryland. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Columbia is about 26% lower than in Maryland.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 79,657 cigarettes a day, 2.4 million a month, or 29.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 876,224 minutes a day and 319.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Columbia is 82.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 7.41 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 | Columbia | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.41 | 5.95 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Columbia is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Columbia, MD Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Columbia, MD compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, MD | 105,363 | 82.1 yrs #1/3 | 4.6% #2/3 | 27.5% #2/3 |
| North Laurel, MD | 23,968 | 80.5 yrs | 10.1% | 30.1% |
| Ellicott City, MD | 66,776 | 81.4 yrs | 4.4% | 24.1% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Columbia, Maryland has an overall health index grade of A+, making it notably better than Maryland, and far better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Columbia, Maryland.
How healthy is Columbia, Maryland?
Columbia, 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 Columbia, Maryland?
People in Columbia, Maryland can expect to live 82.1 years on average, 3.7 years longer than the Maryland average of 78.4.
What percentage of Columbia, Maryland residents are uninsured?
4.6% of residents in Columbia, Maryland have no health insurance, about 1 in 22 people, 1.7 points below the Maryland rate of 6.3%.
How common is obesity in Columbia, Maryland?
27.5% of adults in Columbia, Maryland are classified as obese, about 1 in 4, 6.4 points below the Maryland rate of 34.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Columbia, Maryland go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 79,657 cigarettes a day, 2.4 million a month, or 29.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 876,224 minutes a day and 319.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Columbia is 82.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 7.41 lifetimes a year.
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