Health Profile of Columbus County, North Carolina
Columbus 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
Columbus County Below averageLess healthy than 93% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Columbus County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 74.2 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 12.7% | 9.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 19.8% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Columbus County is 74.2 years, about 2.9 years shorter than the North Carolina average of 77.1 years. The uninsured rate is 12.7%, higher than the North Carolina average of 9.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 19.8% of residents, higher than the North Carolina average of 16.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
19,842 residents in Columbus County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 960 268 men · 692 women
- 75–84 3,033 1,279 men · 1,754 women
- 65–74 5,568 2,555 men · 3,013 women
- 50–64 10,281 5,001 men · 5,280 women
Younger residents
10,189 residents in Columbus County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 3,158 1,600 boys · 1,558 girls
- 7–12 3,009 1,508 boys · 1,502 girls
- 3–7 2,318 1,109 boys · 1,209 girls
- 0–3 1,703 797 boys · 906 girls
About 4,465 residents in Columbus County (8.9% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 74.2 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Columbus County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 14.6% | 12.4% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.6% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.3% | 7.5% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 42.9% | 35.8% | 34.3% |
The rate of obesity in Columbus County is about 20% higher than in North Carolina. The rate of diabetes in Columbus County is about 18% higher than in North Carolina.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Columbus County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 23.4% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 13.8% | 14.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 28.7% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Columbus County are about the same as in North Carolina.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 93,004 cigarettes a day, 2.8 million a month, or 33.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.0 million minutes a day and 373.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Columbus County is 74.2 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 9.58 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 | Columbus County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.53 | 5.99 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.5 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Columbus County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Columbus County, NC Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Columbus County, NC is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 50,166 residents against a local median of 116,854. Columbus 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, 9% above the local median at 12.7% against 11.7%. Columbus County, NC has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus County, NC | 50,166 | 74.2 yrs #5/6 | 12.7% #4/6 | 42.9% #4/6 |
| Bladen County, NC | 29,571 | 76.9 yrs | 10.2% | 40.4% |
| Horry County, SC | 382,931 | 77.1 yrs | 11.7% | 34.6% |
| Brunswick County, NC | 152,554 | 77.1 yrs | 7.5% | 31.8% |
| Robeson County, NC | 116,854 | 74.3 yrs | 14.2% | 43.7% |
| Marion County, SC | 28,664 | 73.8 yrs | 13.7% | 45.6% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Columbus County, North Carolina has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with North Carolina, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Columbus County, North Carolina.
What is the health grade for Columbus County, North Carolina?
Columbus 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 Columbus County, North Carolina one of the healthiest counties in North Carolina?
Columbus County ranks 93rd 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 Columbus County, North Carolina?
People in Columbus County, North Carolina can expect to live 74.2 years on average, 2.9 years shorter than the North Carolina average of 77.1.
How many people lack health insurance in Columbus County, North Carolina?
12.7% of residents in Columbus County, North Carolina have no health insurance, about 1 in 8 people, 2.8 points above the North Carolina rate of 9.9%.
How common is obesity in Columbus County, North Carolina?
42.9% of adults in Columbus County, North Carolina are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 7.1 points above the North Carolina rate of 35.8%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Columbus County, North Carolina go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 93,004 cigarettes a day, 2.8 million a month, or 33.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.0 million minutes a day and 373.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Columbus County is 74.2 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 9.58 lifetimes a year.
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