Health Profile of Wake Forest, North Carolina
Wake Forest 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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A
Wake Forest Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Wake Forest | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 81.6 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.7% | 9.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 9.0% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Wake Forest is 81.6 years, about 4.5 years longer than the North Carolina average of 77.1 years. The uninsured rate is 5.7%, lower than the North Carolina average of 9.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 9.0% of residents, lower than the North Carolina average of 16.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
10,859 residents in Wake Forest are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 496 104 men · 393 women
- 75–84 1,368 551 men · 817 women
- 65–74 2,651 1,184 men · 1,467 women
- 50–64 6,345 3,028 men · 3,316 women
Younger residents
10,339 residents in Wake Forest are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 3,218 1,598 boys · 1,620 girls
- 7–12 3,010 1,541 boys · 1,468 girls
- 3–7 2,325 1,164 boys · 1,161 girls
- 0–3 1,786 866 boys · 920 girls
About 905 residents in Wake Forest (2.3% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 81.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Wake Forest | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 7.6% | 12.4% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.3% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.3% | 7.5% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 28.7% | 35.8% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Wake Forest is about 43% lower than in North Carolina. The rate of diabetes in Wake Forest is about 39% lower than in North Carolina. The rate of cancer in Wake Forest is about 22% lower than in North Carolina.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Wake Forest | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 12.8% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.9% | 14.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 15.2% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Wake Forest is about 40% lower than in North Carolina. The rate of smoking in Wake Forest is about 38% lower than in North Carolina. The rate of binge drinking in Wake Forest is about 21% higher than in North Carolina.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 37,485 cigarettes a day, 1.1 million a month, or 13.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 412,339 minutes a day and 150.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Wake Forest is 81.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.51 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 | Wake Forest | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.52 | 5.99 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.5 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Wake Forest is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Wake Forest, NC Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Wake Forest, NC compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wake Forest, NC | 39,088 | 81.6 yrs #1/2 | 5.7% #1/2 | 28.7% #1/2 |
| Raleigh, NC | 423,734 | 80.0 yrs | 9.2% | 29.7% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wake Forest, North Carolina has an overall health index grade of A, making it far better than North Carolina, and notably better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
Is Wake Forest, North Carolina a healthy place to live?
Wake Forest, North Carolina has a Map AI Health Index grade of A, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; an A grade means residents are much healthier than the U.S. average.
What is the average lifespan in Wake Forest, North Carolina?
People in Wake Forest, North Carolina can expect to live 81.6 years on average, 4.5 years longer than the North Carolina average of 77.1.
What percentage of Wake Forest, North Carolina residents are uninsured?
5.7% of residents in Wake Forest, North Carolina have no health insurance, about 1 in 18 people, 4.2 points below the North Carolina rate of 9.9%.
How common is obesity in Wake Forest, North Carolina?
28.7% of adults in Wake Forest, North Carolina are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 7.1 points below the North Carolina rate of 35.8%.
What health issue is more common in Wake Forest, North Carolina than elsewhere?
Compared with North Carolina as a whole, binge drinking stands out most: the adult rate here is 17.9%, about 21% higher than the North Carolina rate of 14.8%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Wake Forest, North Carolina go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 37,485 cigarettes a day, 1.1 million a month, or 13.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 412,339 minutes a day and 150.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Wake Forest is 81.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.51 lifetimes a year.
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