Health Profile of Newark, New Jersey
Newark 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.
-
C
Newark Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Newark | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.7 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 19.7% | 7.5% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 21.6% | 12.9% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Newark is 75.7 years, about 3.7 years shorter than the New Jersey average of 79.4 years. The uninsured rate is 19.7%, higher than the New Jersey average of 7.5%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 21.6% of residents, higher than the New Jersey average of 12.9%.
Population by Age
Older residents
84,431 residents in Newark are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 3,413 1,042 men · 2,371 women
- 75–84 8,977 3,283 men · 5,693 women
- 65–74 18,709 8,131 men · 10,578 women
- 50–64 53,332 25,388 men · 27,944 women
Younger residents
72,741 residents in Newark are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 21,853 11,280 boys · 10,573 girls
- 7–12 21,800 11,375 boys · 10,425 girls
- 3–7 16,785 8,716 boys · 8,070 girls
- 0–3 12,303 6,223 boys · 6,079 girls
About 11,613 residents in Newark (3.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.7 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Newark | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 13.5% | 9.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.1% | 6.3% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.9% | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 35.6% | 28.9% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Newark is about 40% higher than in New Jersey. The rate of cancer in Newark is about 35% lower than in New Jersey. The rate of obesity in Newark is about 23% higher than in New Jersey.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Newark | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 21.1% | 14.2% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.4% | 17.2% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 34.0% | 21.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Newark is about 55% higher than in New Jersey. The rate of smoking in Newark is about 48% higher than in New Jersey.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 490,797 cigarettes a day, 14.7 million a month, or 179.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 5.4 million minutes a day and 2.0 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Newark is 75.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.14 lifetimes a day, or 50 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 | Newark | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.42 | 6.82 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Newark is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Newark, NJ Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Newark, NJ compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newark, NJ | 309,652 | 75.7 yrs #3/3 | 19.7% #3/3 | 35.6% #2/3 |
| Harrison, NJ | 20,334 | 80.8 yrs | 17.5% | 24.7% |
| East Orange, NJ | 69,597 | 75.8 yrs | 12.3% | 35.6% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Newark, New Jersey has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat worse than New Jersey, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Newark, New Jersey.
What is the health grade for Newark, New Jersey?
Newark, New Jersey 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.
What is the life expectancy in Newark, New Jersey?
People in Newark, New Jersey can expect to live 75.7 years on average, 3.7 years shorter than the New Jersey average of 79.4.
What percentage of Newark, New Jersey residents are uninsured?
19.7% of residents in Newark, New Jersey have no health insurance, about 1 in 5 people, 12.2 points above the New Jersey rate of 7.5%.
What percentage of Newark, New Jersey residents are obese?
35.6% of adults in Newark, New Jersey are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 6.7 points above the New Jersey rate of 28.9%.
What is the biggest health concern in Newark, New Jersey?
Compared with New Jersey as a whole, physical inactivity stands out most: the adult rate here is 34.0%, about 55% higher than the New Jersey rate of 21.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Newark, New Jersey go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 490,797 cigarettes a day, 14.7 million a month, or 179.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 5.4 million minutes a day and 2.0 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Newark is 75.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.14 lifetimes a day, or 50 lifetimes a year.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →