Health Profile of Worcester County, Maryland
Worcester 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
Worcester County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Worcester County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.9 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.0% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 13.8% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Worcester County is 77.9 years, about 0.5 years shorter than the Maryland average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 5.0%, lower than the Maryland average of 6.3%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 13.8% of residents, higher than the Maryland average of 13.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
26,957 residents in Worcester County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,631 608 men · 1,023 women
- 75–84 4,739 2,124 men · 2,615 women
- 65–74 8,398 3,938 men · 4,460 women
- 50–64 12,189 5,752 men · 6,437 women
Younger residents
8,678 residents in Worcester County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 3,014 1,571 boys · 1,443 girls
- 7–12 2,580 1,355 boys · 1,225 girls
- 3–7 1,783 948 boys · 835 girls
- 0–3 1,300 719 boys · 581 girls
About 4,768 residents in Worcester County (8.9% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 77.9 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Worcester County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.3% | 10.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 8.5% | 6.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.6% | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 33.6% | 34.0% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Worcester County is about 27% higher than in Maryland. The rate of cancer in Worcester County is about 27% higher than in Maryland. The rate of diabetes in Worcester County is about 17% higher than in Maryland.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Worcester County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 16.1% | 15.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 13.7% | 14.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 25.4% | 22.9% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Worcester County are about the same as in Maryland.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 71,641 cigarettes a day, 2.1 million a month, or 26.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 788,052 minutes a day and 287.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Worcester County is 77.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 7.02 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 | Worcester County | Maryland Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.14 | 5.95 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.1 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Worcester County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Worcester County, MD Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Worcester County, MD is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 53,701 residents against a local median of 33,335. The measure that sets Worcester County, MD apart most is uninsured: 5.0%, 24% below the local median of 6.7%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 7.4% on uninsured, so Worcester County, MD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Worcester County, MD has the 2nd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester County, MD | 53,701 | 77.9 yrs #2/6 | 5.0% #2/6 | 33.6% #1/6 |
| Wicomico County, MD | 104,905 | 76.9 yrs | 6.7% | 37.1% |
| Sussex County, DE | 252,121 | 78.5 yrs | 7.0% | 36.9% |
| Somerset County, MD | 24,822 | 74.9 yrs | 3.6% | 38.5% |
| Accomack County, VA | 33,335 | 76.9 yrs | 11.0% | 38.1% |
| Dorchester County, MD | 32,754 | 77.6 yrs | 5.5% | 39.0% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Worcester County, Maryland has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Maryland, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Worcester County, Maryland.
Is Worcester County, Maryland a healthy place to live?
Worcester 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 Worcester County, Maryland one of the healthiest counties in Maryland?
Worcester County ranks 15th 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 life expectancy in Worcester County, Maryland?
People in Worcester County, Maryland can expect to live 77.9 years on average, about the same as the Maryland average of 78.4.
How many people lack health insurance in Worcester County, Maryland?
5.0% of residents in Worcester County, Maryland have no health insurance, about 1 in 20 people, 1.2 points below the Maryland rate of 6.3%.
How common is obesity in Worcester County, Maryland?
33.6% of adults in Worcester County, Maryland are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, about the same as the Maryland rate of 34.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Worcester County, Maryland go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 71,641 cigarettes a day, 2.1 million a month, or 26.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 788,052 minutes a day and 287.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Worcester County is 77.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 7.02 lifetimes a year.
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