Health Profile of Lee County, North Carolina
Lee 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
Lee County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Lee County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.9 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 12.2% | 9.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 17.1% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Lee County is 75.9 years, about 1.2 years shorter than the North Carolina average of 77.1 years. The uninsured rate is 12.2%, higher than the North Carolina average of 9.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 17.1% of residents, higher than the North Carolina average of 16.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
23,304 residents in Lee County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,195 346 men · 849 women
- 75–84 3,250 1,386 men · 1,865 women
- 65–74 6,122 2,822 men · 3,301 women
- 50–64 12,737 6,283 men · 6,454 women
Younger residents
15,123 residents in Lee County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 4,922 2,503 boys · 2,419 girls
- 7–12 4,373 2,204 boys · 2,169 girls
- 3–7 3,276 1,694 boys · 1,582 girls
- 0–3 2,551 1,368 boys · 1,184 girls
About 4,072 residents in Lee County (6.2% 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 | Lee County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.2% | 12.4% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.3% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.0% | 7.5% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 35.2% | 35.8% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Lee County are about the same as in North Carolina.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Lee County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 20.6% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.5% | 14.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 25.0% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Lee County are about the same as in North Carolina.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 103,343 cigarettes a day, 3.1 million a month, or 37.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.1 million minutes a day and 414.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Lee County is 75.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 10 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 | Lee County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.68 | 5.99 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.7 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Lee County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Lee County, NC Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Lee County, NC is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 65,807 residents against a local median of 104,876. The measure that sets Lee County, NC apart most is uninsured: 12.2%, 28% above the local median of 9.5%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.7% on uninsured, so Lee County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lee County, NC has the 6th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County, NC | 65,807 | 75.9 yrs #5/6 | 12.2% #6/6 | 35.2% #3/6 |
| Chatham County, NC | 80,150 | 82.8 yrs | 9.4% | 32.1% |
| Harnett County, NC | 139,132 | 76.7 yrs | 9.7% | 41.7% |
| Moore County, NC | 104,876 | 80.3 yrs | 7.6% | 30.1% |
| Hoke County, NC | 53,784 | 76.6 yrs | 10.3% | 42.2% |
| Cumberland County, NC | 338,542 | 75.1 yrs | 9.5% | 36.5% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lee 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 Lee County, North Carolina.
How healthy is Lee County, North Carolina?
Lee 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 Lee County, North Carolina one of the healthiest counties in North Carolina?
Lee County ranks 60th 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.
How long do people live in Lee County, North Carolina?
People in Lee County, North Carolina can expect to live 75.9 years on average, 1.2 years shorter than the North Carolina average of 77.1.
What is the uninsured rate in Lee County, North Carolina?
12.2% of residents in Lee County, North Carolina have no health insurance, about 1 in 8 people, 2.4 points above the North Carolina rate of 9.9%.
What percentage of Lee County, North Carolina residents are obese?
35.2% of adults in Lee County, North Carolina are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 0.6 points below the North Carolina rate of 35.8%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Lee County, North Carolina go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 103,343 cigarettes a day, 3.1 million a month, or 37.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.1 million minutes a day and 414.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Lee County is 75.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 10 lifetimes a year.
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