Health Profile of Wilkes County, North Carolina
Wilkes 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
Wilkes County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Wilkes County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.5 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 10.5% | 9.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 17.7% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Wilkes County is 76.5 years, about 0.6 years shorter than the North Carolina average of 77.1 years. The uninsured rate is 10.5%, higher than the North Carolina average of 9.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 17.7% of residents, higher than the North Carolina average of 16.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
27,799 residents in Wilkes County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,750 553 men · 1,197 women
- 75–84 4,058 1,845 men · 2,213 women
- 65–74 8,083 3,800 men · 4,282 women
- 50–64 13,909 6,947 men · 6,962 women
Younger residents
12,688 residents in Wilkes County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 4,065 2,147 boys · 1,918 girls
- 7–12 3,805 1,881 boys · 1,924 girls
- 3–7 2,814 1,411 boys · 1,403 girls
- 0–3 2,004 1,047 boys · 957 girls
About 5,068 residents in Wilkes County (7.7% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.5 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Wilkes County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.3% | 12.4% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.3% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.2% | 7.5% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 38.6% | 35.8% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Wilkes County are about the same as in North Carolina.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Wilkes County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 22.7% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.1% | 14.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 27.1% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Wilkes County are about the same as in North Carolina.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 119,883 cigarettes a day, 3.6 million a month, or 43.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.3 million minutes a day and 481.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Wilkes County is 76.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 12 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 | Wilkes County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.05 | 5.99 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.1 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Wilkes County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Wilkes County, NC Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Wilkes County, NC is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 65,914 residents against a local median of 26,946. There is no headline here. Every measure below sits within 15% of the median across the nearest counties, which makes Wilkes County, NC an unremarkable member of its own neighbourhood rather than an outlier in it.
The largest of those small differences is obesity, 9% above the local median at 38.6% against 35.3%. Wilkes County, NC has the 5th lowest obesity of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes County, NC | 65,914 | 76.5 yrs #5/6 | 10.5% #4/6 | 38.6% #5/6 |
| Alexander County, NC | 36,412 | 77.2 yrs | 8.1% | 34.4% |
| Alleghany County, NC | 11,122 | 79.0 yrs | 13.8% | 35.3% |
| Ashe County, NC | 26,946 | 77.5 yrs | 9.8% | 34.3% |
| Grayson County, VA | 15,277 | 76.9 yrs | 7.6% | 40.8% |
| Caldwell County, NC | 80,517 | 75.9 yrs | 10.5% | 35.3% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wilkes 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 Wilkes County, North Carolina.
What is the health grade for Wilkes County, North Carolina?
Wilkes 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 Wilkes County, North Carolina one of the healthiest counties in North Carolina?
Wilkes County ranks 69th 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 Wilkes County, North Carolina?
People in Wilkes County, North Carolina can expect to live 76.5 years on average, 0.6 years shorter than the North Carolina average of 77.1.
How many people lack health insurance in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
10.5% of residents in Wilkes County, North Carolina have no health insurance, about 1 in 10 people, 0.6 points above the North Carolina rate of 9.9%.
What is the obesity rate in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
38.6% of adults in Wilkes County, North Carolina are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 2.8 points above the North Carolina rate of 35.8%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Wilkes County, North Carolina go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 119,883 cigarettes a day, 3.6 million a month, or 43.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.3 million minutes a day and 481.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Wilkes County is 76.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 12 lifetimes a year.
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