Health Profile of Burke County, North Carolina
Burke 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
Burke County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Burke County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.7 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 11.0% | 9.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 17.3% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Burke County is 76.7 years, about 0.4 years shorter than the North Carolina average of 77.1 years. The uninsured rate is 11.0%, higher than the North Carolina average of 9.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 17.3% of residents, higher than the North Carolina average of 16.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
36,693 residents in Burke County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 2,033 733 men · 1,299 women
- 75–84 5,456 2,272 men · 3,184 women
- 65–74 10,129 4,792 men · 5,337 women
- 50–64 19,076 9,500 men · 9,576 women
Younger residents
15,410 residents in Burke County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 4,974 2,611 boys · 2,363 girls
- 7–12 4,500 2,312 boys · 2,188 girls
- 3–7 3,414 1,777 boys · 1,637 girls
- 0–3 2,522 1,316 boys · 1,206 girls
About 6,295 residents in Burke County (7.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.7 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Burke County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 11.7% | 12.4% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.1% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.0% | 7.5% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 33.4% | 35.8% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Burke County are about the same as in North Carolina.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Burke County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 22.5% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.2% | 14.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 27.1% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Burke County are about the same as in North Carolina.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 160,876 cigarettes a day, 4.8 million a month, or 58.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.8 million minutes a day and 645.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Burke County is 76.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 16 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 | Burke County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.24 | 5.99 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Burke County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Burke County, NC Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Burke County, NC is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 87,684 residents against a local median of 64,922. Burke County, NC sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is uninsured, 5% below the local median at 11.0% against 11.5%. Burke County, NC has the 3rd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burke County, NC | 87,684 | 76.7 yrs #2/6 | 11.0% #3/6 | 33.4% #1/6 |
| Caldwell County, NC | 80,517 | 75.9 yrs | 10.5% | 35.3% |
| McDowell County, NC | 44,809 | 76.6 yrs | 11.5% | 34.6% |
| Avery County, NC | 17,672 | 79.2 yrs | 12.5% | 33.4% |
| Rutherford County, NC | 64,922 | 74.9 yrs | 12.0% | 33.5% |
| Cleveland County, NC | 100,962 | 74.6 yrs | 9.3% | 37.8% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Burke 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 Burke County, North Carolina.
How healthy is Burke County, North Carolina?
Burke 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 Burke County, North Carolina one of the healthiest counties in North Carolina?
Burke County ranks 57th 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 life expectancy in Burke County, North Carolina?
People in Burke County, North Carolina can expect to live 76.7 years on average, about the same as the North Carolina average of 77.1.
How many people lack health insurance in Burke County, North Carolina?
11.0% of residents in Burke County, North Carolina have no health insurance, about 1 in 9 people, 1.2 points above the North Carolina rate of 9.9%.
What percentage of Burke County, North Carolina residents are obese?
33.4% of adults in Burke County, North Carolina are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 2.4 points below the North Carolina rate of 35.8%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Burke County, North Carolina go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 160,876 cigarettes a day, 4.8 million a month, or 58.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.8 million minutes a day and 645.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Burke County is 76.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 16 lifetimes a year.
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