Health Profile of Washoe County, Nevada
Washoe 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
Washoe County Around averageHealthiest county in Nevada
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Washoe County | Nevada Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.2 | 78.7 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 9.9% | 11.4% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 15.0% | 17.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Washoe County is 78.2 years, about 0.5 years shorter than the Nevada average of 78.7 years. The uninsured rate is 9.9%, lower than the Nevada average of 11.4%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 15.0% of residents, lower than the Nevada average of 17.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
172,380 residents in Washoe County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 7,627 2,995 men · 4,631 women
- 75–84 21,176 9,836 men · 11,339 women
- 65–74 46,924 23,131 men · 23,793 women
- 50–64 96,654 49,299 men · 47,354 women
Younger residents
103,349 residents in Washoe County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 32,362 16,664 boys · 15,697 girls
- 7–12 30,811 15,799 boys · 15,013 girls
- 3–7 23,231 11,959 boys · 11,272 girls
- 0–3 16,945 8,774 boys · 8,171 girls
About 20,651 residents in Washoe County (4.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.2 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Washoe County | Nevada Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 8.7% | 11.4% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.9% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.0% | 7.6% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 26.7% | 32.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Washoe County is about 24% lower than in Nevada. The rate of heart disease in Washoe County is about 21% lower than in Nevada. The rate of obesity in Washoe County is about 18% lower than in Nevada.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Washoe County | Nevada Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 18.4% | 20.5% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 20.4% | 18.5% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 20.7% | 24.3% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Washoe County are about the same as in Nevada.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 725,531 cigarettes a day, 21.8 million a month, or 264.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 8.0 million minutes a day and 2.9 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Washoe County is 78.2 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.19 lifetimes a day, or 71 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 | Washoe County | Nevada Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.35 | 4.57 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Washoe County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Washoe County, NV Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Washoe County, NV is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 497,175 residents against a local median of 6,487. The measure that sets Washoe County, NV apart most is uninsured: 9.9%, 55% above the local median of 6.4%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Obesity tells the same story from another angle: 26.7% against a local median of 31.5%, 15% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: obesity runs ahead of the neighbourhood while uninsured runs behind it, so Washoe County, NV is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 9.3% on uninsured, so Washoe County, NV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Washoe County, NV has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washoe County, NV | 497,175 | 78.2 yrs #4/6 | 9.9% #4/6 | 26.7% #1/6 |
| Lassen County, CA | 30,356 | 76.4 yrs | 6.4% | 31.5% |
| Storey County, NV | 4,137 | 80.6 yrs | 4.4% | 30.1% |
| Pershing County, NV | 6,487 | 79.6 yrs | 10.4% | 33.6% |
| Plumas County, CA | 19,423 | 78.0 yrs | 5.8% | 30.2% |
| Sierra County, CA | 2,746 | 84.9 yrs | 13.7% | 32.3% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Washoe County, Nevada has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Nevada, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Washoe County, Nevada.
Is Washoe County, Nevada a healthy place to live?
Washoe County, Nevada 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 Washoe County, Nevada one of the healthiest counties in Nevada?
Yes. Washoe County ranks 1st of 16 counties in Nevada by the Map AI Health Index, making it the healthiest of them all.
What is the average lifespan in Washoe County, Nevada?
People in Washoe County, Nevada can expect to live 78.2 years on average, 0.5 years shorter than the Nevada average of 78.7.
What percentage of Washoe County, Nevada residents are uninsured?
9.9% of residents in Washoe County, Nevada have no health insurance, about 1 in 10 people, 1.5 points below the Nevada rate of 11.4%.
What is the obesity rate in Washoe County, Nevada?
26.7% of adults in Washoe County, Nevada are classified as obese, about 1 in 4, 5.9 points below the Nevada rate of 32.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Washoe County, Nevada go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 725,531 cigarettes a day, 21.8 million a month, or 264.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 8.0 million minutes a day and 2.9 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Washoe County is 78.2 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.19 lifetimes a day, or 71 lifetimes a year.
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