Health Profile of Dorchester County, Maryland
Dorchester County 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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B
Dorchester County Around averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in Maryland
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Dorchester County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.6 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.5% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 17.0% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Dorchester County is 77.6 years, about 0.8 years shorter than the Maryland average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 5.5%, lower than the Maryland average of 6.3%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 17.0% of residents, higher than the Maryland average of 13.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
13,866 residents in Dorchester County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 640 202 men · 438 women
- 75–84 2,280 981 men · 1,299 women
- 65–74 3,845 1,750 men · 2,095 women
- 50–64 7,101 3,420 men · 3,681 women
Younger residents
6,511 residents in Dorchester County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,092 1,039 boys · 1,052 girls
- 7–12 1,874 935 boys · 939 girls
- 3–7 1,441 685 boys · 755 girls
- 0–3 1,104 527 boys · 577 girls
About 2,224 residents in Dorchester County (6.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 77.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Dorchester County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 13.8% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.8% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.5% | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 39.0% | 34.0% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Dorchester County is about 30% higher than in Maryland. The rate of heart disease in Dorchester County is about 25% higher than in Maryland. The rate of cancer in Dorchester County is about 17% higher than in Maryland.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Dorchester County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 18.2% | 15.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 13.3% | 14.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 27.5% | 22.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Dorchester County is about 20% higher than in Maryland.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 47,060 cigarettes a day, 1.4 million a month, or 17.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 517,665 minutes a day and 188.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Dorchester County is 77.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.63 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 | Dorchester County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.29 | 5.95 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Dorchester County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Dorchester County, MD Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Dorchester County, MD is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 32,754 residents against a local median of 94,313. Where Dorchester County, MD breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 43% above the local median of 3.9% at 5.5%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.6% on uninsured, so Dorchester County, MD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Dorchester County, MD has the 5th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester County, MD | 32,754 | 77.6 yrs #4/6 | 5.5% #5/6 | 39.0% #6/6 |
| Talbot County, MD | 37,917 | 80.2 yrs | 3.9% | 32.2% |
| Somerset County, MD | 24,822 | 74.9 yrs | 3.6% | 38.5% |
| Wicomico County, MD | 104,905 | 76.9 yrs | 6.7% | 37.1% |
| Calvert County, MD | 94,313 | 80.8 yrs | 3.0% | 35.3% |
| St. Mary's County, MD | 115,126 | 80.8 yrs | 3.9% | 36.8% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Dorchester County, Maryland has an overall health index grade of B, making it about on par with Maryland, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Dorchester County, Maryland.
Is Dorchester County, Maryland a healthy place to live?
Dorchester County, Maryland has a Map AI Health Index grade of B, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a B grade means residents are somewhat healthier than the U.S. average.
Is Dorchester County, Maryland one of the healthiest counties in Maryland?
Dorchester County ranks 22nd healthiest out of 24 counties in Maryland by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Dorchester County, Maryland?
People in Dorchester County, Maryland can expect to live 77.6 years on average, 0.8 years shorter than the Maryland average of 78.4.
How many people lack health insurance in Dorchester County, Maryland?
5.5% of residents in Dorchester County, Maryland have no health insurance, about 1 in 18 people, 0.7 points below the Maryland rate of 6.3%.
How common is obesity in Dorchester County, Maryland?
39.0% of adults in Dorchester County, Maryland are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 5.1 points above the Maryland rate of 34.0%.
What is the biggest health concern in Dorchester County, Maryland?
Compared with Maryland as a whole, diabetes stands out most: the adult rate here is 13.8%, about 30% higher than the Maryland rate of 10.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Dorchester County, Maryland go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 47,060 cigarettes a day, 1.4 million a month, or 17.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 517,665 minutes a day and 188.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Dorchester County is 77.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.63 lifetimes a year.
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