Health Profile of Mercer County, North Dakota
Mercer 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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B
Mercer County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Mercer County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 82.5 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.6% | 6.5% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 12.6% | 14.3% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Mercer County is 82.5 years, about 3.1 years longer than the North Dakota average of 79.4 years. The uninsured rate is 7.6%, higher than the North Dakota average of 6.5%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 12.6% of residents, lower than the North Dakota average of 14.3%.
Population by Age
Older residents
3,599 residents in Mercer County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 229 59 men · 170 women
- 75–84 465 227 men · 238 women
- 65–74 914 462 men · 453 women
- 50–64 1,991 1,058 men · 933 women
Younger residents
1,736 residents in Mercer County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 567 274 boys · 293 girls
- 7–12 522 272 boys · 250 girls
- 3–7 380 195 boys · 185 girls
- 0–3 267 127 boys · 140 girls
About 316 residents in Mercer County (3.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 82.5 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Mercer County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.5% | 11.3% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.7% | 8.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.0% | 8.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 36.1% | 35.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Mercer County are about the same as in North Dakota.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Mercer County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 17.6% | 18.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 21.3% | 18.7% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 24.1% | 26.6% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Mercer County are about the same as in North Dakota.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 11,222 cigarettes a day, 336,648 a month, or 4.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 123,437 minutes a day and 45.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Mercer County is 82.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.04 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 | Mercer County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 4.20 | 4.88 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 4.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Mercer County is very good — well within WHO health guidelines, with minimal health risk from air pollution.
Mercer County, ND Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Mercer County, ND is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 8,337 residents against a local median of 9,823. Where Mercer County, ND breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 34% above the local median of 5.6% at 7.6%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 10.4% on uninsured, so Mercer County, ND sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Mercer County, ND has the 5th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County, ND | 8,337 | 82.5 yrs #3/6 | 7.6% #5/6 | 36.1% #6/6 |
| Oliver County, ND | 1,839 | 84.3 yrs | 4.7% | 35.7% |
| McLean County, ND | 9,823 | 79.4 yrs | 4.4% | 35.8% |
| Dunn County, ND | 4,040 | 84.8 yrs | 14.8% | 35.3% |
| Morton County, ND | 33,777 | 81.2 yrs | 5.6% | 35.9% |
| Ward County, ND | 68,973 | 79.0 yrs | 6.4% | 35.3% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Mercer County, North Dakota has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than North Dakota, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Mercer County, North Dakota.
How healthy is Mercer County, North Dakota?
Mercer County, North Dakota has a Map AI Health Index grade of B, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a B grade means residents are somewhat healthier than the U.S. average.
Is Mercer County, North Dakota one of the healthiest counties in North Dakota?
Mercer County ranks 28th healthiest out of 52 counties in North Dakota by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Mercer County, North Dakota?
People in Mercer County, North Dakota can expect to live 82.5 years on average, 3.1 years longer than the North Dakota average of 79.4.
How many people lack health insurance in Mercer County, North Dakota?
7.6% of residents in Mercer County, North Dakota have no health insurance, about 1 in 13 people, 1.1 points above the North Dakota rate of 6.5%.
What percentage of Mercer County, North Dakota residents are obese?
36.1% of adults in Mercer County, North Dakota are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 0.8 points above the North Dakota rate of 35.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Mercer County, North Dakota go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 11,222 cigarettes a day, 336,648 a month, or 4.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 123,437 minutes a day and 45.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Mercer County is 82.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 1.04 lifetimes a year.
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