Health Profile of Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte 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
Charlotte Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Charlotte | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.1 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 12.9% | 9.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 12.9% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Charlotte is 78.1 years, about 1.0 years longer than the North Carolina average of 77.1 years. The uninsured rate is 12.9%, higher than the North Carolina average of 9.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 12.9% of residents, lower than the North Carolina average of 16.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
233,177 residents in Charlotte are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 10,301 3,323 men · 6,979 women
- 75–84 23,862 9,437 men · 14,425 women
- 65–74 51,972 22,860 men · 29,112 women
- 50–64 147,042 69,572 men · 77,470 women
Younger residents
194,746 residents in Charlotte are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 57,006 28,866 boys · 28,140 girls
- 7–12 56,483 29,528 boys · 26,956 girls
- 3–7 45,925 23,886 boys · 22,039 girls
- 0–3 35,331 17,946 boys · 17,385 girls
About 24,963 residents in Charlotte (2.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Charlotte | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 9.5% | 12.4% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.8% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.6% | 7.5% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 31.3% | 35.8% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Charlotte is about 39% lower than in North Carolina. The rate of cancer in Charlotte is about 30% lower than in North Carolina. The rate of diabetes in Charlotte is about 23% lower than in North Carolina.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Charlotte | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 16.2% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.0% | 14.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 21.3% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Charlotte is about 22% lower than in North Carolina. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Charlotte is about 16% lower than in North Carolina.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 1.1 million cigarettes a day, 32.9 million a month, or 400.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 12.1 million minutes a day and 4.4 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Charlotte is 78.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.29 lifetimes a day, or 107 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 | Charlotte | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.60 | 5.99 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.6 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Charlotte is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Charlotte, NC Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Charlotte, NC is the largest of the 4 cities compared here, 877,380 residents against a local median of 32,912. Where Charlotte, NC breaks from the cities next to it is uninsured, sitting 95% above the local median of 6.6% at 12.9%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Obesity tells the same story from another angle: 31.3% against a local median of 26.6%, 18% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Charlotte, NC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The cities themselves spread 5.3% on uninsured, so Charlotte, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Charlotte, NC has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 877,380 | 78.1 yrs #4/4 | 12.9% #4/4 | 31.3% #4/4 |
| Matthews, NC | 32,912 | 80.9 yrs | 6.6% | 26.6% |
| Mint Hill, NC | 25,060 | 80.3 yrs | 10.1% | 28.9% |
| Huntersville, NC | 52,008 | 79.4 yrs | 4.8% | 26.6% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Charlotte, 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 Charlotte, North Carolina.
Is Charlotte, North Carolina a healthy place to live?
Charlotte, 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.
What is the average lifespan in Charlotte, North Carolina?
People in Charlotte, North Carolina can expect to live 78.1 years on average, 1.0 years longer than the North Carolina average of 77.1.
What percentage of Charlotte, North Carolina residents are uninsured?
12.9% of residents in Charlotte, North Carolina have no health insurance, about 1 in 8 people, 3.0 points above the North Carolina rate of 9.9%.
How common is obesity in Charlotte, North Carolina?
31.3% of adults in Charlotte, North Carolina are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 4.4 points below the North Carolina rate of 35.8%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Charlotte, North Carolina go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 1.1 million cigarettes a day, 32.9 million a month, or 400.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 12.1 million minutes a day and 4.4 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Charlotte is 78.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.29 lifetimes a day, or 107 lifetimes a year.
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