Health Profile of Waldo County, Maine
Waldo 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
Waldo County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Waldo County | Maine Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.9 | 78.2 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 9.2% | 6.2% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 13.2% | 13.9% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Waldo County is 78.9 years, about 0.6 years longer than the Maine average of 78.2 years. The uninsured rate is 9.2%, higher than the Maine average of 6.2%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 13.2% of residents, lower than the Maine average of 13.9%.
Population by Age
Older residents
17,698 residents in Waldo County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 698 262 men · 436 women
- 75–84 2,538 1,160 men · 1,378 women
- 65–74 5,316 2,645 men · 2,671 women
- 50–64 9,147 4,377 men · 4,770 women
Younger residents
7,082 residents in Waldo County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,413 1,266 boys · 1,147 girls
- 7–12 2,134 1,108 boys · 1,025 girls
- 3–7 1,467 748 boys · 719 girls
- 0–3 1,068 550 boys · 518 girls
About 2,016 residents in Waldo County (5.0% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.9 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Waldo County | Maine Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 9.3% | 10.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.4% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.2% | 7.6% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 31.7% | 32.2% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Waldo County are about the same as in Maine.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Waldo County | Maine Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 18.3% | 18.8% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.4% | 15.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 21.5% | 22.8% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Waldo County are about the same as in Maine.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 60,638 cigarettes a day, 1.8 million a month, or 22.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 667,018 minutes a day and 243.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Waldo County is 78.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 5.87 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 | Waldo County | Maine Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 3.92 | 4.43 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 3.9 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Waldo County is very good — well within WHO health guidelines, with minimal health risk from air pollution.
Waldo County, ME Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Waldo County, ME is typical in size for this group, 40,192 residents against a local median of 41,003, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Waldo County, ME breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 59% above the local median of 5.8% at 9.2%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 4.2% on uninsured, so Waldo County, ME sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Waldo County, ME has the 5th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waldo County, ME | 40,192 | 78.9 yrs #4/6 | 9.2% #5/6 | 31.7% #4/6 |
| Knox County, ME | 41,003 | 78.9 yrs | 5.6% | 30.2% |
| Lincoln County, ME | 36,099 | 79.0 yrs | 6.6% | 25.3% |
| Kennebec County, ME | 126,799 | 77.8 yrs | 5.8% | 34.7% |
| Hancock County, ME | 56,460 | 79.9 yrs | 9.6% | 29.8% |
| Sagadahoc County, ME | 37,285 | 79.9 yrs | 5.3% | 31.8% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Waldo County, Maine has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Maine, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Waldo County, Maine.
How healthy is Waldo County, Maine?
Waldo County, Maine 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 Waldo County, Maine one of the healthiest counties in Maine?
Waldo County ranks 7th healthiest out of 16 counties in Maine by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Waldo County, Maine?
People in Waldo County, Maine can expect to live 78.9 years on average, 0.6 years longer than the Maine average of 78.2.
How many people lack health insurance in Waldo County, Maine?
9.2% of residents in Waldo County, Maine have no health insurance, about 1 in 11 people, 3.0 points above the Maine rate of 6.2%.
What is the obesity rate in Waldo County, Maine?
31.7% of adults in Waldo County, Maine are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 0.5 points below the Maine rate of 32.2%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Waldo County, Maine go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 60,638 cigarettes a day, 1.8 million a month, or 22.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 667,018 minutes a day and 243.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Waldo County is 78.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 5.87 lifetimes a year.
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