Health Profile of Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery 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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A+
Montgomery County Top gradeHealthiest county in Maryland
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Montgomery County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 83.0 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.0% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 9.2% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Montgomery County is 83.0 years, about 4.6 years longer than the Maryland average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 7.0%, higher than the Maryland average of 6.3%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 9.2% of residents, lower than the Maryland average of 13.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
375,416 residents in Montgomery County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 23,235 8,255 men · 14,980 women
- 75–84 49,336 20,666 men · 28,670 women
- 65–74 90,792 41,633 men · 49,159 women
- 50–64 212,054 103,594 men · 108,460 women
Younger residents
235,637 residents in Montgomery County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 75,883 39,264 boys · 36,618 girls
- 7–12 70,577 36,645 boys · 33,932 girls
- 3–7 51,874 26,716 boys · 25,159 girls
- 0–3 37,303 19,076 boys · 18,227 girls
About 31,345 residents in Montgomery County (2.9% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 83.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Montgomery County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 7.9% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.9% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.5% | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 21.3% | 34.0% | 34.3% |
The rate of obesity in Montgomery County is about 37% lower than in Maryland. The rate of diabetes in Montgomery County is about 25% lower than in Maryland. The rate of heart disease in Montgomery County is about 24% lower than in Maryland.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Montgomery County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 9.0% | 15.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 12.7% | 14.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 16.6% | 22.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Montgomery County is about 44% lower than in Maryland. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Montgomery County is about 28% lower than in Maryland.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 740,055 cigarettes a day, 22.2 million a month, or 270.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 8.1 million minutes a day and 3.0 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Montgomery County is 83.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.19 lifetimes a day, or 68 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 | Montgomery County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.40 | 5.95 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Montgomery County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Montgomery County, MD Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Montgomery County, MD is the largest of the 4 counties compared here, 1,065,586 residents against a local median of 336,328. The measure that sets Montgomery County, MD apart most is uninsured: 7.0%, 64% above the local median of 4.2%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Obesity tells the same story from another angle: 21.3% against a local median of 26.4%, 19% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: obesity runs ahead of the neighbourhood while uninsured runs behind it, so Montgomery County, MD is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 1.7% on uninsured, so Montgomery County, MD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Montgomery County, MD has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County, MD | 1,065,586 | 83.0 yrs #1/4 | 7.0% #4/4 | 21.3% #1/4 |
| Arlington County, VA | 236,150 | 81.8 yrs | 5.3% | 27.1% |
| Howard County, MD | 336,328 | 81.7 yrs | 4.2% | 26.4% |
| District of Columbia, DC | 678,314 | 76.4 yrs | 3.6% | 25.3% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Montgomery County, 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 Montgomery County, Maryland.
Is Montgomery County, Maryland a healthy place to live?
Montgomery County, 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.
Is Montgomery County, Maryland one of the healthiest counties in Maryland?
Yes. Montgomery County ranks 1st of 24 counties in Maryland by the Map AI Health Index, making it the healthiest of them all.
How long do people live in Montgomery County, Maryland?
People in Montgomery County, Maryland can expect to live 83.0 years on average, 4.6 years longer than the Maryland average of 78.4.
How many people lack health insurance in Montgomery County, Maryland?
7.0% of residents in Montgomery County, Maryland have no health insurance, about 1 in 14 people, 0.7 points above the Maryland rate of 6.3%.
What is the obesity rate in Montgomery County, Maryland?
21.3% of adults in Montgomery County, Maryland are classified as obese, about 1 in 5, 12.6 points below the Maryland rate of 34.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Montgomery County, Maryland go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 740,055 cigarettes a day, 22.2 million a month, or 270.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 8.1 million minutes a day and 3.0 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Montgomery County is 83.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.19 lifetimes a day, or 68 lifetimes a year.
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