Health Profile of Vernon County, Missouri
Vernon 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
Vernon County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Vernon County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.9 | 76.9 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 14.4% | 8.8% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 19.8% | 19.0% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Vernon County is 75.9 years, about 1.0 years shorter than the Missouri average of 76.9 years. The uninsured rate is 14.4%, higher than the Missouri average of 8.8%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 19.8% of residents, higher than the Missouri average of 19.0%.
Population by Age
Older residents
7,718 residents in Vernon County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 391 114 men · 277 women
- 75–84 1,308 625 men · 683 women
- 65–74 2,091 955 men · 1,136 women
- 50–64 3,929 1,909 men · 2,021 women
Younger residents
4,428 residents in Vernon County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,430 767 boys · 663 girls
- 7–12 1,311 689 boys · 622 girls
- 3–7 973 499 boys · 474 girls
- 0–3 713 364 boys · 349 girls
About 1,552 residents in Vernon County (7.9% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.9 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Vernon County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.1% | 11.9% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.2% | 7.3% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.5% | 8.3% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 36.6% | 38.1% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Vernon County are about the same as in Missouri.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Vernon County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 23.6% | 22.8% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.3% | 16.4% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 30.1% | 29.0% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Vernon County are about the same as in Missouri.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 35,308 cigarettes a day, 1.1 million a month, or 12.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 388,393 minutes a day and 141.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Vernon County is 75.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.55 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 | Vernon County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.62 | 6.78 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.6 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Vernon County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Vernon County, MO Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Vernon County, MO is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 19,687 residents against a local median of 14,394. The measure that sets Vernon County, MO apart most is uninsured: 14.4%, 36% above the local median of 10.6%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 6.6% on uninsured, so Vernon County, MO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Vernon County, MO has the 5th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon County, MO | 19,687 | 75.9 yrs #4/6 | 14.4% #5/6 | 36.6% #2/6 |
| Barton County, MO | 11,690 | 77.6 yrs | 9.3% | 38.9% |
| Bates County, MO | 16,186 | 78.9 yrs | 11.3% | 40.6% |
| Cedar County, MO | 14,615 | 74.9 yrs | 14.8% | 36.5% |
| Bourbon County, KS | 14,394 | 75.8 yrs | 8.3% | 40.3% |
| St. Clair County, MO | 9,587 | 77.9 yrs | 10.6% | 37.5% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Vernon County, Missouri has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with Missouri, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Vernon County, Missouri.
Is Vernon County, Missouri a healthy place to live?
Vernon 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 Vernon County, Missouri one of the healthiest counties in Missouri?
Vernon County ranks 80th 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 life expectancy in Vernon County, Missouri?
People in Vernon County, Missouri can expect to live 75.9 years on average, 1.0 years shorter than the Missouri average of 76.9.
What percentage of Vernon County, Missouri residents are uninsured?
14.4% of residents in Vernon County, Missouri have no health insurance, about 1 in 7 people, 5.6 points above the Missouri rate of 8.8%.
What percentage of Vernon County, Missouri residents are obese?
36.6% of adults in Vernon County, Missouri are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.5 points below the Missouri rate of 38.1%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Vernon County, Missouri go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 35,308 cigarettes a day, 1.1 million a month, or 12.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 388,393 minutes a day and 141.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Vernon County is 75.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.55 lifetimes a year.
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