Health Profile of Towson, Maryland
Towson 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
Towson Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Towson | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 81.0 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 2.6% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 9.7% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Towson is 81.0 years, about 2.6 years longer than the Maryland average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 2.6%, lower than the Maryland average of 6.3%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 9.7% of residents, lower than the Maryland average of 13.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
19,407 residents in Towson are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 2,174 736 men · 1,438 women
- 75–84 3,376 1,375 men · 2,001 women
- 65–74 5,035 2,114 men · 2,922 women
- 50–64 8,821 4,148 men · 4,673 women
Younger residents
10,354 residents in Towson are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 3,011 1,485 boys · 1,525 girls
- 7–12 3,215 1,552 boys · 1,663 girls
- 3–7 2,446 1,144 boys · 1,302 girls
- 0–3 1,682 772 boys · 910 girls
About 3,420 residents in Towson (5.7% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 81.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Towson | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 7.3% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.7% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.2% | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 26.1% | 34.0% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Towson is about 31% lower than in Maryland. The rate of obesity in Towson is about 23% lower than in Maryland.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Towson | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 9.9% | 15.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.9% | 14.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 18.1% | 22.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Towson is about 38% lower than in Maryland. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Towson is about 21% lower than in Maryland.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 49,278 cigarettes a day, 1.5 million a month, or 18.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 542,059 minutes a day and 197.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Towson is 81.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.65 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 | Towson | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.58 | 5.95 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.6 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Towson is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Towson, MD Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Towson, MD compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Towson, MD | 60,458 | 81.0 yrs #1/2 | 2.6% #1/2 | 26.1% #1/2 |
| Parkville, MD | 30,547 | 77.2 yrs | 5.9% | 31.5% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Towson, 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 Towson, Maryland.
How healthy is Towson, Maryland?
Towson, 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 Towson, Maryland?
People in Towson, Maryland can expect to live 81.0 years on average, 2.6 years longer than the Maryland average of 78.4.
What percentage of Towson, Maryland residents are uninsured?
2.6% of residents in Towson, Maryland have no health insurance, about 1 in 39 people, 3.7 points below the Maryland rate of 6.3%.
How common is obesity in Towson, Maryland?
26.1% of adults in Towson, Maryland are classified as obese, about 1 in 4, 7.8 points below the Maryland rate of 34.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Towson, Maryland go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 49,278 cigarettes a day, 1.5 million a month, or 18.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 542,059 minutes a day and 197.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Towson is 81.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.65 lifetimes a year.
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