Health Profile of Somerset County, Maryland
Somerset 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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C
Somerset County Below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in Maryland
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Somerset County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 74.9 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 3.6% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 18.1% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Somerset County is 74.9 years, about 3.5 years shorter than the Maryland average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 3.6%, lower than the Maryland average of 6.3%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 18.1% of residents, higher than the Maryland average of 13.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
8,485 residents in Somerset County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 387 133 men · 253 women
- 75–84 1,275 543 men · 731 women
- 65–74 2,326 1,131 men · 1,195 women
- 50–64 4,498 2,356 men · 2,142 women
Younger residents
4,028 residents in Somerset County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,176 534 boys · 642 girls
- 7–12 1,219 631 boys · 589 girls
- 3–7 947 523 boys · 424 girls
- 0–3 685 366 boys · 320 girls
About 1,689 residents in Somerset County (6.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 74.9 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Somerset County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 13.0% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.4% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.2% | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 38.5% | 34.0% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Somerset County is about 23% higher than in Maryland. The rate of heart disease in Somerset County is about 20% higher than in Maryland.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Somerset County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 21.4% | 15.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.2% | 14.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 30.9% | 22.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Somerset County is about 35% higher than in Maryland. The rate of smoking in Somerset County is about 34% higher than in Maryland.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 43,806 cigarettes a day, 1.3 million a month, or 16.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 481,865 minutes a day and 175.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Somerset County is 74.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.47 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 | Somerset County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.58 | 5.95 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.6 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Somerset County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Somerset County, MD Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Somerset County, MD is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 24,822 residents against a local median of 33,335. The measure that sets Somerset County, MD apart most is uninsured: 3.6%, 45% below the local median of 6.6%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 6.0% on uninsured, so Somerset County, MD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Somerset County, MD has the lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County, MD | 24,822 | 74.9 yrs #6/6 | 3.6% #1/6 | 38.5% #5/6 |
| Accomack County, VA | 33,335 | 76.9 yrs | 11.0% | 38.1% |
| Wicomico County, MD | 104,905 | 76.9 yrs | 6.7% | 37.1% |
| Dorchester County, MD | 32,754 | 77.6 yrs | 5.5% | 39.0% |
| Northumberland County, VA | 12,188 | 78.6 yrs | 6.6% | 36.0% |
| Worcester County, MD | 53,701 | 77.9 yrs | 5.0% | 33.6% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Somerset County, Maryland has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with Maryland, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Somerset County, Maryland.
How healthy is Somerset County, Maryland?
Somerset County, Maryland has a Map AI Health Index grade of C, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average.
Is Somerset County, Maryland one of the healthiest counties in Maryland?
Somerset County ranks 23rd 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.
How long do people live in Somerset County, Maryland?
People in Somerset County, Maryland can expect to live 74.9 years on average, 3.5 years shorter than the Maryland average of 78.4.
What is the uninsured rate in Somerset County, Maryland?
3.6% of residents in Somerset County, Maryland have no health insurance, about 1 in 28 people, 2.6 points below the Maryland rate of 6.3%.
What is the obesity rate in Somerset County, Maryland?
38.5% of adults in Somerset County, Maryland are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 4.5 points above the Maryland rate of 34.0%.
What health issue is more common in Somerset County, Maryland than elsewhere?
Compared with Maryland as a whole, physical inactivity stands out most: the adult rate here is 30.9%, about 35% higher than the Maryland rate of 22.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Somerset County, Maryland go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 43,806 cigarettes a day, 1.3 million a month, or 16.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 481,865 minutes a day and 175.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Somerset County is 74.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.47 lifetimes a year.
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