Health Profile of Alleghany County, North Carolina
Alleghany 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
Alleghany County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Alleghany County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 79.0 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 13.8% | 9.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 19.7% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Alleghany County is 79.0 years, about 1.9 years longer than the North Carolina average of 77.1 years. The uninsured rate is 13.8%, higher than the North Carolina average of 9.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 19.7% of residents, higher than the North Carolina average of 16.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
5,503 residents in Alleghany County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 320 111 men · 208 women
- 75–84 942 412 men · 530 women
- 65–74 1,700 832 men · 868 women
- 50–64 2,542 1,277 men · 1,264 women
Younger residents
1,801 residents in Alleghany County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 561 255 boys · 306 girls
- 7–12 557 299 boys · 258 girls
- 3–7 414 221 boys · 193 girls
- 0–3 269 130 boys · 138 girls
About 772 residents in Alleghany County (6.9% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 79.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Alleghany County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 14.0% | 12.4% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 8.1% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 9.8% | 7.5% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 35.3% | 35.8% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Alleghany County is about 31% higher than in North Carolina. The rate of cancer in Alleghany County is about 19% higher than in North Carolina.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Alleghany County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 23.2% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.0% | 14.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 28.3% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Alleghany County are about the same as in North Carolina.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 21,573 cigarettes a day, 647,186 a month, or 7.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 237,301 minutes a day and 86.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Alleghany County is 79.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.09 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 | Alleghany County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.69 | 5.99 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.7 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Alleghany County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Alleghany County, NC Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Alleghany County, NC is the smallest of the 5 counties compared here, 11,122 residents against a local median of 27,565. Where Alleghany County, NC breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 59% above the local median of 8.7% at 13.8%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 4.4% on uninsured, so Alleghany County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Alleghany County, NC has the 5th lowest uninsured of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alleghany County, NC | 11,122 | 79.0 yrs #1/5 | 13.8% #5/5 | 35.3% #2/5 |
| Grayson County, VA | 15,277 | 76.9 yrs | 7.6% | 40.8% |
| Wilkes County, NC | 65,914 | 76.5 yrs | 10.5% | 38.6% |
| Ashe County, NC | 26,946 | 77.5 yrs | 9.8% | 34.3% |
| Wythe County, VA | 28,184 | 76.0 yrs | 6.0% | 40.7% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Alleghany County, North Carolina has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat better than North Carolina, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Alleghany County, North Carolina.
How healthy is Alleghany County, North Carolina?
Alleghany County, North Carolina 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 Alleghany County, North Carolina one of the healthiest counties in North Carolina?
Alleghany County ranks 68th healthiest out of 100 counties in North Carolina by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Alleghany County, North Carolina?
People in Alleghany County, North Carolina can expect to live 79.0 years on average, 1.9 years longer than the North Carolina average of 77.1.
What is the uninsured rate in Alleghany County, North Carolina?
13.8% of residents in Alleghany County, North Carolina have no health insurance, about 1 in 7 people, 4.0 points above the North Carolina rate of 9.9%.
What is the obesity rate in Alleghany County, North Carolina?
35.3% of adults in Alleghany County, North Carolina are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 0.5 points below the North Carolina rate of 35.8%.
Which health problem stands out most in Alleghany County, North Carolina?
Compared with North Carolina as a whole, heart disease stands out most: the adult rate here is 9.8%, about 31% higher than the North Carolina rate of 7.5%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Alleghany County, North Carolina go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 21,573 cigarettes a day, 647,186 a month, or 7.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 237,301 minutes a day and 86.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Alleghany County is 79.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.09 lifetimes a year.
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