Health Profile of Detroit, Michigan
Detroit 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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D
Detroit Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Detroit | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 72.1 | 78.3 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.4% | 4.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 27.8% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Detroit is 72.1 years, about 6.3 years shorter than the Michigan average of 78.3 years. The uninsured rate is 7.4%, higher than the Michigan average of 4.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 27.8% of residents, higher than the Michigan average of 16.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
200,351 residents in Detroit are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 10,026 2,997 men · 7,029 women
- 75–84 25,708 10,130 men · 15,578 women
- 65–74 52,411 22,717 men · 29,694 women
- 50–64 112,205 52,872 men · 59,333 women
Younger residents
152,702 residents in Detroit are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 47,333 23,919 boys · 23,414 girls
- 7–12 45,250 23,072 boys · 22,178 girls
- 3–7 34,441 17,631 boys · 16,810 girls
- 0–3 25,677 13,277 boys · 12,400 girls
About 48,787 residents in Detroit (7.6% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 72.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Detroit | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 18.7% | 12.1% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.1% | 7.5% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.7% | 7.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 48.1% | 37.7% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Detroit is about 54% higher than in Michigan. The rate of cancer in Detroit is about 32% lower than in Michigan. The rate of obesity in Detroit is about 28% higher than in Michigan.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Detroit | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 27.2% | 20.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.0% | 18.1% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 33.8% | 22.6% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Detroit is about 50% higher than in Michigan. The rate of smoking in Detroit is about 30% higher than in Michigan. The rate of binge drinking in Detroit is about 23% lower than in Michigan.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 1.3 million cigarettes a day, 39.1 million a month, or 476.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 14.3 million minutes a day and 5.2 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Detroit is 72.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.38 lifetimes a day, or 138 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 | Detroit | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 8.40 | 5.89 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 8.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Detroit is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Detroit, MI Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Detroit, MI compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MI | 638,394 | 72.1 yrs #2/2 | 7.4% #1/2 | 48.1% #2/2 |
| Hamtramck, MI | 27,670 | 75.1 yrs | 10.6% | 39.0% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Detroit, Michigan has an overall health index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Michigan, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Detroit, Michigan.
Is Detroit, Michigan a healthy place to live?
Detroit, Michigan has a Map AI Health Index grade of D, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a D grade means residents face somewhat worse health outcomes than the U.S. average.
How long do people live in Detroit, Michigan?
People in Detroit, Michigan can expect to live 72.1 years on average, 6.3 years shorter than the Michigan average of 78.3.
What percentage of Detroit, Michigan residents are uninsured?
7.4% of residents in Detroit, Michigan have no health insurance, about 1 in 13 people, 2.5 points above the Michigan rate of 4.9%.
What percentage of Detroit, Michigan residents are obese?
48.1% of adults in Detroit, Michigan are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 10.4 points above the Michigan rate of 37.7%.
Which health problem stands out most in Detroit, Michigan?
Compared with Michigan as a whole, diabetes stands out most: the adult rate here is 18.7%, about 54% higher than the Michigan rate of 12.1%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Detroit, Michigan go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 1.3 million cigarettes a day, 39.1 million a month, or 476.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 14.3 million minutes a day and 5.2 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Detroit is 72.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.38 lifetimes a day, or 138 lifetimes a year.
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