Health Profile of Jefferson County, Mississippi
Jefferson 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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F
Jefferson County Well below averageAmong the 5 least healthy counties in Mississippi
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Jefferson County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.3 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 10.7% | 11.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 33.8% | 23.5% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Jefferson County is 77.3 years, about 2.6 years longer than the Mississippi average of 74.7 years. The uninsured rate is 10.7%, lower than the Mississippi average of 11.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 33.8% of residents, higher than the Mississippi average of 23.5%.
Population by Age
Older residents
2,632 residents in Jefferson County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 147 32 men · 115 women
- 75–84 308 121 men · 187 women
- 65–74 645 286 men · 358 women
- 50–64 1,532 745 men · 787 women
Younger residents
1,493 residents in Jefferson County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 479 235 boys · 245 girls
- 7–12 434 204 boys · 230 girls
- 3–7 328 162 boys · 166 girls
- 0–3 252 124 boys · 128 girls
About 366 residents in Jefferson County (5.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 77.3 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Jefferson County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 19.7% | 14.7% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.6% | 6.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.2% | 7.9% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 52.4% | 41.8% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Jefferson County is about 34% higher than in Mississippi. The rate of cancer in Jefferson County is about 26% lower than in Mississippi. The rate of obesity in Jefferson County is about 25% higher than in Mississippi.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Jefferson County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 28.1% | 22.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 10.9% | 12.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 42.4% | 32.5% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Jefferson County is about 31% higher than in Mississippi. The rate of smoking in Jefferson County is about 27% higher than in Mississippi. The rate of binge drinking in Jefferson County is about 15% lower than in Mississippi.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 15,773 cigarettes a day, 473,176 a month, or 5.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 173,498 minutes a day and 63.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Jefferson County is 77.3 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.56 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 | Jefferson County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.01 | 7.91 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.0 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Jefferson County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Jefferson County, MS Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Jefferson County, MS is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 7,068 residents against a local median of 8,582. The measure that sets Jefferson County, MS apart most is obesity: 52.4%, 18% above the local median of 44.4%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 6.9% on obesity, so Jefferson County, MS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Jefferson County, MS has the 6th lowest obesity of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, MS | 7,068 | 77.3 yrs #2/6 | 10.7% #3/6 | 52.4% #6/6 |
| Claiborne County, MS | 8,582 | 74.6 yrs | 15.1% | 47.5% |
| Franklin County, MS | 7,622 | 74.7 yrs | 9.1% | 40.6% |
| Adams County, MS | 28,803 | 73.1 yrs | 11.3% | 44.4% |
| Tensas Parish, LA | 3,935 | 80.3 yrs | 5.6% | 47.0% |
| Copiah County, MS | 27,855 | 74.0 yrs | 12.9% | 42.2% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Jefferson County, Mississippi has an overall health index grade of F, making it about on par with Mississippi, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Jefferson County, Mississippi.
Is Jefferson County, Mississippi a healthy place to live?
Jefferson County, Mississippi has a Map AI Health Index grade of F, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; an F grade means residents face significantly worse health outcomes than the U.S. average.
Is Jefferson County, Mississippi one of the healthiest counties in Mississippi?
Jefferson County ranks 78th healthiest out of 82 counties in Mississippi by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
How long do people live in Jefferson County, Mississippi?
People in Jefferson County, Mississippi can expect to live 77.3 years on average, 2.6 years longer than the Mississippi average of 74.7.
How many people lack health insurance in Jefferson County, Mississippi?
10.7% of residents in Jefferson County, Mississippi have no health insurance, about 1 in 9 people, about the same as the Mississippi rate of 11.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Jefferson County, Mississippi?
52.4% of adults in Jefferson County, Mississippi are classified as obese, about 5 in 10, 10.6 points above the Mississippi rate of 41.8%.
What health issue is more common in Jefferson County, Mississippi than elsewhere?
Compared with Mississippi as a whole, diabetes stands out most: the adult rate here is 19.7%, about 34% higher than the Mississippi rate of 14.7%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Jefferson County, Mississippi go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 15,773 cigarettes a day, 473,176 a month, or 5.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 173,498 minutes a day and 63.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Jefferson County is 77.3 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.56 lifetimes a year.
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