Health Profile of Salem County, New Jersey
Salem 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
Salem County Around averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in New Jersey
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Salem County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.0 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 4.7% | 7.5% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 15.7% | 12.9% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Salem County is 77.0 years, about 2.4 years shorter than the New Jersey average of 79.4 years. The uninsured rate is 4.7%, lower than the New Jersey average of 7.5%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 15.7% of residents, higher than the New Jersey average of 12.9%.
Population by Age
Older residents
25,356 residents in Salem County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,684 516 men · 1,168 women
- 75–84 3,505 1,495 men · 2,010 women
- 65–74 6,442 3,085 men · 3,357 women
- 50–64 13,726 6,705 men · 7,021 women
Younger residents
13,616 residents in Salem County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 4,301 2,376 boys · 1,925 girls
- 7–12 4,140 2,076 boys · 2,063 girls
- 3–7 3,037 1,452 boys · 1,585 girls
- 0–3 2,139 1,070 boys · 1,069 girls
About 4,321 residents in Salem County (6.6% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 77.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Salem County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 11.2% | 9.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.9% | 6.3% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.0% | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 36.5% | 28.9% | 34.3% |
The rate of obesity in Salem County is about 26% higher than in New Jersey. The rate of heart disease in Salem County is about 20% higher than in New Jersey. The rate of diabetes in Salem County is about 16% higher than in New Jersey.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Salem County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 18.4% | 14.2% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.0% | 17.2% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 26.6% | 21.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Salem County is about 29% higher than in New Jersey. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Salem County is about 21% higher than in New Jersey.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 93,526 cigarettes a day, 2.8 million a month, or 34.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.0 million minutes a day and 375.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Salem County is 77.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 9.28 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 | Salem County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.06 | 6.82 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.1 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Salem County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Salem County, NJ Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Salem County, NJ is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 65,196 residents against a local median of 526,561. Salem County, NJ's uninsured, at 4.7%, runs 21% below the 5.9% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 6.5% on uninsured, so Salem County, NJ sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Salem County, NJ has the 3rd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem County, NJ | 65,196 | 77.0 yrs #5/6 | 4.7% #3/6 | 36.5% #6/6 |
| Gloucester County, NJ | 306,962 | 77.6 yrs | 4.0% | 32.0% |
| New Castle County, DE | 577,338 | 77.8 yrs | 5.9% | 34.3% |
| Cumberland County, NJ | 153,308 | 76.3 yrs | 10.5% | 35.8% |
| Delaware County, PA | 578,234 | 77.6 yrs | 4.6% | 30.0% |
| Camden County, NJ | 526,561 | 77.8 yrs | 6.3% | 31.2% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Salem County, New Jersey has an overall health index grade of B, making it about on par with New Jersey, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Salem County, New Jersey.
How healthy is Salem County, New Jersey?
Salem County, New Jersey 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 Salem County, New Jersey one of the healthiest counties in New Jersey?
Salem County ranks 20th healthiest out of 21 counties in New Jersey by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
How long do people live in Salem County, New Jersey?
People in Salem County, New Jersey can expect to live 77.0 years on average, 2.4 years shorter than the New Jersey average of 79.4.
What percentage of Salem County, New Jersey residents are uninsured?
4.7% of residents in Salem County, New Jersey have no health insurance, about 1 in 21 people, 2.8 points below the New Jersey rate of 7.5%.
What is the obesity rate in Salem County, New Jersey?
36.5% of adults in Salem County, New Jersey are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 7.5 points above the New Jersey rate of 28.9%.
What health issue is more common in Salem County, New Jersey than elsewhere?
Compared with New Jersey as a whole, smoking stands out most: the adult rate here is 18.4%, about 29% higher than the New Jersey rate of 14.2%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Salem County, New Jersey go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 93,526 cigarettes a day, 2.8 million a month, or 34.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.0 million minutes a day and 375.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Salem County is 77.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 9.28 lifetimes a year.
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