Health Profile of Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia 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
Gastonia Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Gastonia | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 74.6 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 12.8% | 9.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 17.6% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Gastonia is 74.6 years, about 2.5 years shorter than the North Carolina average of 77.1 years. The uninsured rate is 12.8%, higher than the North Carolina average of 9.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 17.6% of residents, higher than the North Carolina average of 16.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
26,667 residents in Gastonia are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,496 432 men · 1,064 women
- 75–84 3,696 1,592 men · 2,104 women
- 65–74 6,753 2,879 men · 3,874 women
- 50–64 14,722 6,738 men · 7,983 women
Younger residents
18,980 residents in Gastonia are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 5,492 2,781 boys · 2,710 girls
- 7–12 5,680 2,898 boys · 2,782 girls
- 3–7 4,449 2,280 boys · 2,169 girls
- 0–3 3,359 1,756 boys · 1,603 girls
About 5,413 residents in Gastonia (6.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 74.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Gastonia | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.1% | 12.4% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.4% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.1% | 7.5% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 34.0% | 35.8% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Gastonia are about the same as in North Carolina.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Gastonia | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 21.6% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.9% | 14.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 26.9% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Gastonia are about the same as in North Carolina.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 129,971 cigarettes a day, 3.9 million a month, or 47.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.4 million minutes a day and 521.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Gastonia is 74.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 13 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 | Gastonia | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.33 | 5.99 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Gastonia is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Gastonia, 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 Gastonia, North Carolina.
Is Gastonia, North Carolina a healthy place to live?
Gastonia, 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.
What is the life expectancy in Gastonia, North Carolina?
People in Gastonia, North Carolina can expect to live 74.6 years on average, 2.5 years shorter than the North Carolina average of 77.1.
What percentage of Gastonia, North Carolina residents are uninsured?
12.8% of residents in Gastonia, North Carolina have no health insurance, about 1 in 8 people, 2.9 points above the North Carolina rate of 9.9%.
How common is obesity in Gastonia, North Carolina?
34.0% of adults in Gastonia, North Carolina are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.7 points below the North Carolina rate of 35.8%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Gastonia, North Carolina go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 129,971 cigarettes a day, 3.9 million a month, or 47.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.4 million minutes a day and 521.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Gastonia is 74.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 13 lifetimes a year.
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