Health Profile of Fergus County, Montana
Fergus 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
Fergus County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Fergus County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 79.5 | 79.0 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 16.2% | 8.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 13.8% | 14.7% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Fergus County is 79.6 years, about 0.6 years longer than the Montana average of 79.0 years. The uninsured rate is 16.2%, higher than the Montana average of 8.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 13.8% of residents, lower than the Montana average of 14.7%.
Population by Age
Older residents
5,274 residents in Fergus County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 318 118 men · 199 women
- 75–84 924 457 men · 468 women
- 65–74 1,515 773 men · 742 women
- 50–64 2,516 1,263 men · 1,253 women
Younger residents
2,229 residents in Fergus County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 735 417 boys · 317 girls
- 7–12 647 336 boys · 311 girls
- 3–7 485 239 boys · 246 girls
- 0–3 362 184 boys · 178 girls
About 740 residents in Fergus County (6.3% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 79.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Fergus County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.4% | 10.8% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 8.4% | 7.7% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.0% | 7.6% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 30.0% | 31.4% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Fergus County are about the same as in Montana.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Fergus County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 16.4% | 18.8% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 19.2% | 19.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 22.0% | 22.5% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Fergus County are about the same as in Montana.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 15,185 cigarettes a day, 455,550 a month, or 5.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 167,035 minutes a day and 61.0 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Fergus County is 79.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.46 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 | Fergus County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 3.49 | 4.05 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 3.5 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Fergus County is very good — well within WHO health guidelines, with minimal health risk from air pollution.
Fergus County, MT Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Fergus County, MT is the largest of the 4 counties compared here, 11,687 residents against a local median of 2,070. The measure that sets Fergus County, MT apart most is uninsured: 16.2%, 61% above the local median of 10.1%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 11.1% on uninsured, so Fergus County, MT sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Fergus County, MT has the 3rd lowest uninsured of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fergus County, MT | 11,687 | 79.6 yrs #3/4 | 16.2% #3/4 | 30.0% #1/4 |
| Wheatland County, MT | 2,056 | 80.8 yrs | 17.9% | 31.0% |
| Judith Basin County, MT | 2,070 | 82.7 yrs | 6.8% | 30.1% |
| Musselshell County, MT | 5,152 | 77.9 yrs | 10.1% | 33.2% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Fergus County, Montana has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Montana, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Fergus County, Montana.
How healthy is Fergus County, Montana?
Fergus County, Montana 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 Fergus County, Montana one of the healthiest counties in Montana?
Fergus County ranks 20th healthiest out of 53 counties in Montana by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
How long do people live in Fergus County, Montana?
People in Fergus County, Montana can expect to live 79.6 years on average, 0.6 years longer than the Montana average of 79.0.
How many people lack health insurance in Fergus County, Montana?
16.2% of residents in Fergus County, Montana have no health insurance, about 1 in 6 people, 7.7 points above the Montana rate of 8.6%.
What is the obesity rate in Fergus County, Montana?
30.0% of adults in Fergus County, Montana are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.3 points below the Montana rate of 31.4%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Fergus County, Montana go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 15,185 cigarettes a day, 455,550 a month, or 5.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 167,035 minutes a day and 61.0 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Fergus County is 79.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.46 lifetimes a year.
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