Health Profile of Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg 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
Gaithersburg Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Gaithersburg | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 81.4 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 15.2% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 10.2% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Gaithersburg is 81.4 years, about 3.0 years longer than the Maryland average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 15.2%, higher than the Maryland average of 6.3%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 10.2% of residents, lower than the Maryland average of 13.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
21,342 residents in Gaithersburg are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,645 546 men · 1,098 women
- 75–84 2,440 955 men · 1,485 women
- 65–74 4,437 1,920 men · 2,517 women
- 50–64 12,820 6,015 men · 6,805 women
Younger residents
15,383 residents in Gaithersburg are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 4,373 2,223 boys · 2,150 girls
- 7–12 4,217 2,141 boys · 2,076 girls
- 3–7 3,690 1,803 boys · 1,888 girls
- 0–3 3,102 1,475 boys · 1,627 girls
About 2,463 residents in Gaithersburg (3.5% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 81.4 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Gaithersburg | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 7.9% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.1% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.3% | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 22.0% | 34.0% | 34.3% |
The rate of obesity in Gaithersburg is about 35% lower than in Maryland. The rate of heart disease in Gaithersburg is about 29% lower than in Maryland. The rate of diabetes in Gaithersburg is about 25% lower than in Maryland.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Gaithersburg | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 10.2% | 15.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 12.9% | 14.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 18.4% | 22.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Gaithersburg is about 36% lower than in Maryland. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Gaithersburg is about 20% lower than in Maryland.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 55,752 cigarettes a day, 1.7 million a month, or 20.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 613,275 minutes a day and 223.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Gaithersburg is 81.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 5.23 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 | Gaithersburg | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.43 | 5.95 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Gaithersburg is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Gaithersburg, MD Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Gaithersburg, MD is the 2nd largest of the 4 cities compared here, 71,117 residents against a local median of 25,048. Gaithersburg, MD's uninsured, at 15.2%, runs 126% above the 6.7% typical of the cities around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 11.4% on uninsured, so Gaithersburg, MD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Gaithersburg, MD has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaithersburg, MD | 71,117 | 81.4 yrs #3/4 | 15.2% #4/4 | 22.0% #2/4 |
| North Potomac, MD | 23,845 | 83.2 yrs | 1.7% | 17.5% |
| Montgomery Village, MD | 25,048 | 81.4 yrs | 13.1% | 24.7% |
| Germantown, MD | 82,710 | 81.0 yrs | 6.7% | 22.9% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Gaithersburg, Maryland has an overall health index grade of A, making it notably better than Maryland, and notably better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
What is the health grade for Gaithersburg, Maryland?
Gaithersburg, 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 much healthier than the U.S. average.
What is the average lifespan in Gaithersburg, Maryland?
People in Gaithersburg, Maryland can expect to live 81.4 years on average, 3.0 years longer than the Maryland average of 78.4.
What is the uninsured rate in Gaithersburg, Maryland?
15.2% of residents in Gaithersburg, Maryland have no health insurance, about 1 in 7 people, 9.0 points above the Maryland rate of 6.3%.
What is the obesity rate in Gaithersburg, Maryland?
22.0% of adults in Gaithersburg, Maryland are classified as obese, about 1 in 5, 11.9 points below the Maryland rate of 34.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Gaithersburg, Maryland go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 55,752 cigarettes a day, 1.7 million a month, or 20.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 613,275 minutes a day and 223.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Gaithersburg is 81.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 5.23 lifetimes a year.
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