Health Profile of Wells County, North Dakota
Wells 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
Wells County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Wells County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.8 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 3.7% | 6.5% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 15.1% | 14.3% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Wells County is 78.8 years, about 0.7 years shorter than the North Dakota average of 79.4 years. The uninsured rate is 3.7%, lower than the North Dakota average of 6.5%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 15.1% of residents, higher than the North Dakota average of 14.3%.
Population by Age
Older residents
1,945 residents in Wells County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 177 65 men · 112 women
- 75–84 363 158 men · 205 women
- 65–74 511 243 men · 268 women
- 50–64 894 458 men · 436 women
Younger residents
781 residents in Wells County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 208 107 boys · 101 girls
- 7–12 239 126 boys · 113 girls
- 3–7 197 96 boys · 102 girls
- 0–3 137 66 boys · 70 girls
About 389 residents in Wells County (10.0% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.8 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Wells County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.5% | 11.3% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 10.1% | 8.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 9.3% | 8.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 33.8% | 35.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in Wells County is about 22% higher than in North Dakota. The rate of heart disease in Wells County is about 16% higher than in North Dakota.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Wells County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 16.6% | 18.7% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.1% | 18.7% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 28.8% | 26.6% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Wells County are about the same as in North Dakota.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 4,946 cigarettes a day, 148,390 a month, or 1.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 54,410 minutes a day and 19.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Wells County is 78.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.48 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 | Wells County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.03 | 4.88 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.0 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Wells County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Wells County, ND Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Wells County, ND is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 3,890 residents against a local median of 2,377. Where Wells County, ND breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 40% below the local median of 6.3% at 3.7%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 8.1% on uninsured, so Wells County, ND sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Wells County, ND has the 2nd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells County, ND | 3,890 | 78.8 yrs #2/6 | 3.7% #2/6 | 33.8% #1/6 |
| Benson County, ND | 5,808 | 71.8 yrs | 10.4% | 41.9% |
| Kidder County, ND | 2,377 | 84.6 yrs | 2.3% | 37.0% |
| Sheridan County, ND | 1,303 | 77.6 yrs | 6.3% | 35.8% |
| Pierce County, ND | 3,928 | 78.1 yrs | 7.8% | 35.8% |
| Eddy County, ND | 2,307 | 72.2 yrs | 4.9% | 36.7% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wells 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 Wells County, North Dakota.
What is the health grade for Wells County, North Dakota?
Wells 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 Wells County, North Dakota one of the healthiest counties in North Dakota?
Wells County ranks 35th 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 Wells County, North Dakota?
People in Wells County, North Dakota can expect to live 78.8 years on average, 0.7 years shorter than the North Dakota average of 79.4.
How many people lack health insurance in Wells County, North Dakota?
3.7% of residents in Wells County, North Dakota have no health insurance, about 1 in 27 people, 2.7 points below the North Dakota rate of 6.5%.
What is the obesity rate in Wells County, North Dakota?
33.8% of adults in Wells County, North Dakota are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.5 points below the North Dakota rate of 35.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Wells County, North Dakota go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 4,946 cigarettes a day, 148,390 a month, or 1.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 54,410 minutes a day and 19.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Wells County is 78.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.48 lifetimes a year.
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