Health Profile of Catawba County, North Carolina
Catawba 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
Catawba County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Catawba County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.9 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 10.6% | 9.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 15.0% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Catawba County is 75.9 years, about 1.2 years shorter than the North Carolina average of 77.1 years. The uninsured rate is 10.6%, higher than the North Carolina average of 9.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 15.0% of residents, lower than the North Carolina average of 16.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
62,036 residents in Catawba County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 3,032 980 men · 2,051 women
- 75–84 8,789 3,670 men · 5,119 women
- 65–74 16,150 7,127 men · 9,023 women
- 50–64 34,065 16,791 men · 17,274 women
Younger residents
34,082 residents in Catawba County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 11,015 5,687 boys · 5,328 girls
- 7–12 10,112 5,096 boys · 5,015 girls
- 3–7 7,493 3,723 boys · 3,770 girls
- 0–3 5,462 2,799 boys · 2,663 girls
About 10,853 residents in Catawba County (6.6% 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 | Catawba County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.7% | 12.4% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.6% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.9% | 7.5% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 31.0% | 35.8% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Catawba County are about the same as in North Carolina.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Catawba County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 20.3% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.8% | 14.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 23.2% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Catawba County are about the same as in North Carolina.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 260,713 cigarettes a day, 7.8 million a month, or 95.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.9 million minutes a day and 1.0 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Catawba County is 75.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.07 lifetimes a day, or 26 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 | Catawba County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.27 | 5.99 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Catawba County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Catawba County, NC Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Catawba County, NC is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 163,556 residents against a local median of 92,729. Catawba County, NC's uninsured, at 10.6%, runs 17% above the 9.0% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.6% on uninsured, so Catawba County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Catawba County, NC has the 5th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catawba County, NC | 163,556 | 75.9 yrs #4/6 | 10.6% #5/6 | 31.0% #1/6 |
| Lincoln County, NC | 92,729 | 77.3 yrs | 8.7% | 33.5% |
| Alexander County, NC | 36,412 | 77.2 yrs | 8.1% | 34.4% |
| Gaston County, NC | 234,809 | 75.0 yrs | 10.7% | 32.3% |
| Iredell County, NC | 196,543 | 77.0 yrs | 9.0% | 32.7% |
| Caldwell County, NC | 80,517 | 75.9 yrs | 10.5% | 35.3% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Catawba County, North Carolina has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than North Carolina, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Catawba County, North Carolina.
What is the health grade for Catawba County, North Carolina?
Catawba County, North Carolina 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 Catawba County, North Carolina one of the healthiest counties in North Carolina?
Catawba County ranks 33rd 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 Catawba County, North Carolina?
People in Catawba County, North Carolina can expect to live 75.9 years on average, 1.2 years shorter than the North Carolina average of 77.1.
How many people lack health insurance in Catawba County, North Carolina?
10.6% of residents in Catawba County, North Carolina have no health insurance, about 1 in 9 people, 0.7 points above the North Carolina rate of 9.9%.
How common is obesity in Catawba County, North Carolina?
31.0% of adults in Catawba County, North Carolina are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 4.8 points below the North Carolina rate of 35.8%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Catawba County, North Carolina go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 260,713 cigarettes a day, 7.8 million a month, or 95.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.9 million minutes a day and 1.0 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Catawba County is 75.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.07 lifetimes a day, or 26 lifetimes a year.
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