Health Profile of Mercer County, Missouri
Mercer 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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C
Mercer County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Mercer County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.3 | 76.9 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 9.2% | 8.8% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 17.5% | 19.0% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Mercer County is 76.4 years, about 0.6 years shorter than the Missouri average of 76.9 years. The uninsured rate is 9.2%, higher than the Missouri average of 8.8%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 17.5% of residents, lower than the Missouri average of 19.0%.
Population by Age
Older residents
1,466 residents in Mercer County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 121 38 men · 82 women
- 75–84 232 106 men · 126 women
- 65–74 395 211 men · 184 women
- 50–64 718 356 men · 363 women
Younger residents
797 residents in Mercer County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 243 127 boys · 117 girls
- 7–12 219 111 boys · 108 girls
- 3–7 183 94 boys · 89 girls
- 0–3 151 76 boys · 75 girls
About 318 residents in Mercer County (9.1% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.4 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Mercer County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 11.8% | 11.9% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 8.2% | 7.3% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.7% | 8.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 36.4% | 38.1% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Mercer County are about the same as in Missouri.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Mercer County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 20.8% | 22.8% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.8% | 16.4% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 27.3% | 29.0% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Mercer County are about the same as in Missouri.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 5,453 cigarettes a day, 163,593 a month, or 2.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 59,984 minutes a day and 21.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Mercer County is 76.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.55 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 | Mercer County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.29 | 6.78 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Mercer County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Mercer County, MO Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Mercer County, MO is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 3,482 residents against a local median of 7,759. The measure that sets Mercer County, MO apart most is uninsured: 9.2%, 28% below the local median of 12.8%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 8.5% on uninsured, so Mercer County, MO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Mercer County, MO has the 3rd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County, MO | 3,482 | 76.4 yrs #6/6 | 9.2% #3/6 | 36.4% #1/6 |
| Grundy County, MO | 9,787 | 78.2 yrs | 16.2% | 36.8% |
| Decatur County, IA | 7,759 | 78.7 yrs | 7.6% | 39.3% |
| Wayne County, IA | 6,531 | 78.6 yrs | 12.8% | 39.2% |
| Harrison County, MO | 8,190 | 77.1 yrs | 13.6% | 38.2% |
| Sullivan County, MO | 5,857 | 77.2 yrs | 8.7% | 40.1% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Mercer County, Missouri has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Missouri, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Mercer County, Missouri.
Is Mercer County, Missouri a healthy place to live?
Mercer County, Missouri has a Map AI Health Index grade of C, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average.
Is Mercer County, Missouri one of the healthiest counties in Missouri?
Mercer County ranks 59th healthiest out of 115 counties in Missouri by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Mercer County, Missouri?
People in Mercer County, Missouri can expect to live 76.4 years on average, 0.6 years shorter than the Missouri average of 76.9.
What is the uninsured rate in Mercer County, Missouri?
9.2% of residents in Mercer County, Missouri have no health insurance, about 1 in 11 people, about the same as the Missouri rate of 8.8%.
What percentage of Mercer County, Missouri residents are obese?
36.4% of adults in Mercer County, Missouri are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.7 points below the Missouri rate of 38.1%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Mercer County, Missouri go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 5,453 cigarettes a day, 163,593 a month, or 2.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 59,984 minutes a day and 21.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Mercer County is 76.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.55 lifetimes a year.
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