Health Profile of Iron County, Michigan
Iron 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
Iron County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Iron County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 81.4 | 78.3 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.0% | 4.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 18.5% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Iron County is 81.4 years, about 3.0 years longer than the Michigan average of 78.3 years. The uninsured rate is 5.0%, higher than the Michigan average of 4.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 18.5% of residents, higher than the Michigan average of 16.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
6,224 residents in Iron County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 518 181 men · 338 women
- 75–84 1,006 471 men · 535 women
- 65–74 1,866 971 men · 895 women
- 50–64 2,835 1,423 men · 1,412 women
Younger residents
1,909 residents in Iron County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 641 335 boys · 306 girls
- 7–12 577 270 boys · 307 girls
- 3–7 402 185 boys · 217 girls
- 0–3 289 138 boys · 151 girls
About 812 residents in Iron County (7.0% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 81.4 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Iron County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 14.1% | 12.1% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 9.5% | 7.5% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 10.2% | 7.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 35.2% | 37.7% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Iron County is about 31% higher than in Michigan. The rate of cancer in Iron County is about 26% higher than in Michigan. The rate of diabetes in Iron County is about 17% higher than in Michigan.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Iron County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 20.9% | 20.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.2% | 18.1% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 25.5% | 22.6% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Iron County are about the same as in Michigan.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 20,073 cigarettes a day, 602,192 a month, or 7.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 220,804 minutes a day and 80.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Iron County is 81.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 1.88 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 | Iron County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 4.69 | 5.89 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 4.7 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Iron County is very good — well within WHO health guidelines, with minimal health risk from air pollution.
Iron County, MI Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Iron County, MI is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 11,667 residents against a local median of 9,369. Iron County, MI sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is obesity, 3% below the local median at 35.2% against 36.4%. Iron County, MI has the 2nd lowest obesity of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron County, MI | 11,667 | 81.4 yrs #1/6 | 5.0% #3/6 | 35.2% #2/6 |
| Florence County, WI | 4,646 | 79.8 yrs | 5.8% | 36.0% |
| Baraga County, MI | 8,191 | 76.2 yrs | 3.8% | 41.6% |
| Forest County, WI | 9,369 | 77.7 yrs | 7.7% | 36.4% |
| Dickinson County, MI | 25,954 | 79.9 yrs | 3.7% | 36.7% |
| Houghton County, MI | 34,105 | 78.8 yrs | 5.1% | 32.9% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Iron County, Michigan has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Michigan, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Iron County, Michigan.
How healthy is Iron County, Michigan?
Iron County, Michigan 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 Iron County, Michigan one of the healthiest counties in Michigan?
Iron County ranks 42nd healthiest out of 83 counties in Michigan by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the life expectancy in Iron County, Michigan?
People in Iron County, Michigan can expect to live 81.4 years on average, 3.0 years longer than the Michigan average of 78.3.
What is the uninsured rate in Iron County, Michigan?
5.0% of residents in Iron County, Michigan have no health insurance, about 1 in 20 people, about the same as the Michigan rate of 4.9%.
What is the obesity rate in Iron County, Michigan?
35.2% of adults in Iron County, Michigan are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 2.5 points below the Michigan rate of 37.7%.
What health issue is more common in Iron County, Michigan than elsewhere?
Compared with Michigan as a whole, heart disease stands out most: the adult rate here is 10.2%, about 31% higher than the Michigan rate of 7.8%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Iron County, Michigan go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 20,073 cigarettes a day, 602,192 a month, or 7.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 220,804 minutes a day and 80.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Iron County is 81.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 1.88 lifetimes a year.
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