Health Profile of Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown 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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C
Allentown Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Allentown | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.6 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 11.4% | 5.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 22.8% | 15.7% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Allentown is 77.6 years, about 0.8 years shorter than the Pennsylvania average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 11.4%, higher than the Pennsylvania average of 5.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 22.8% of residents, higher than the Pennsylvania average of 15.7%.
Population by Age
Older residents
35,707 residents in Allentown are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 2,285 686 men · 1,599 women
- 75–84 4,860 2,093 men · 2,766 women
- 65–74 8,520 3,802 men · 4,718 women
- 50–64 20,043 9,651 men · 10,392 women
Younger residents
29,846 residents in Allentown are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 8,887 4,622 boys · 4,266 girls
- 7–12 8,591 4,406 boys · 4,185 girls
- 3–7 6,956 3,597 boys · 3,359 girls
- 0–3 5,411 2,791 boys · 2,620 girls
About 5,683 residents in Allentown (4.5% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 77.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Allentown | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 13.6% | 11.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.2% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.0% | 7.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 40.9% | 34.5% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in Allentown is about 28% lower than in Pennsylvania. The rate of diabetes in Allentown is about 23% higher than in Pennsylvania. The rate of obesity in Allentown is about 19% higher than in Pennsylvania.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Allentown | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 23.1% | 20.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.0% | 18.3% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 34.3% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Allentown is about 36% higher than in Pennsylvania.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 219,815 cigarettes a day, 6.6 million a month, or 80.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.4 million minutes a day and 882.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Allentown is 77.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.06 lifetimes a day, or 22 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 | Allentown | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.46 | 6.88 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.5 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Allentown is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Allentown, Pennsylvania has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with Pennsylvania, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
What is the health grade for Allentown, Pennsylvania?
Allentown, Pennsylvania 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.
How long do people live in Allentown, Pennsylvania?
People in Allentown, Pennsylvania can expect to live 77.6 years on average, 0.8 years shorter than the Pennsylvania average of 78.4.
How many people lack health insurance in Allentown, Pennsylvania?
11.4% of residents in Allentown, Pennsylvania have no health insurance, about 1 in 9 people, 5.8 points above the Pennsylvania rate of 5.6%.
What percentage of Allentown, Pennsylvania residents are obese?
40.9% of adults in Allentown, Pennsylvania are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 6.4 points above the Pennsylvania rate of 34.5%.
Which health problem stands out most in Allentown, Pennsylvania?
Compared with Pennsylvania as a whole, physical inactivity stands out most: the adult rate here is 34.3%, about 36% higher than the Pennsylvania rate of 25.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Allentown, Pennsylvania go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 219,815 cigarettes a day, 6.6 million a month, or 80.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.4 million minutes a day and 882.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Allentown is 77.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.06 lifetimes a day, or 22 lifetimes a year.
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