Health Profile of Altoona, Pennsylvania
Altoona 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
Altoona Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Altoona | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.1 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.6% | 5.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 18.7% | 15.7% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Altoona is 76.1 years, about 2.3 years shorter than the Pennsylvania average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is about the same as in Pennsylvania, at 5.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 18.7% of residents, higher than the Pennsylvania average of 15.7%.
Population by Age
Older residents
15,771 residents in Altoona are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 962 300 men · 663 women
- 75–84 2,258 978 men · 1,280 women
- 65–74 3,822 1,658 men · 2,165 women
- 50–64 8,728 4,298 men · 4,430 women
Younger residents
8,733 residents in Altoona are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,676 1,359 boys · 1,318 girls
- 7–12 2,554 1,282 boys · 1,272 girls
- 3–7 1,984 1,007 boys · 977 girls
- 0–3 1,519 775 boys · 744 girls
About 2,920 residents in Altoona (6.9% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Altoona | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.3% | 11.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.1% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.2% | 7.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 32.7% | 34.5% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Altoona are about the same as in Pennsylvania.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Altoona | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 22.8% | 20.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.8% | 18.3% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 26.7% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Altoona are about the same as in Pennsylvania.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 76,948 cigarettes a day, 2.3 million a month, or 28.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 846,424 minutes a day and 308.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Altoona is 76.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 7.72 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 | Altoona | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.03 | 6.88 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.0 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Altoona is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Altoona, Pennsylvania has an overall health index grade of B, making it about on par with Pennsylvania, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
How healthy is Altoona, Pennsylvania?
Altoona, Pennsylvania 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.
What is the life expectancy in Altoona, Pennsylvania?
People in Altoona, Pennsylvania can expect to live 76.1 years on average, 2.3 years shorter than the Pennsylvania average of 78.4.
What percentage of Altoona, Pennsylvania residents are uninsured?
5.6% of residents in Altoona, Pennsylvania have no health insurance, about 1 in 18 people, about the same as the Pennsylvania rate of 5.6%.
How common is obesity in Altoona, Pennsylvania?
32.7% of adults in Altoona, Pennsylvania are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.8 points below the Pennsylvania rate of 34.5%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Altoona, Pennsylvania go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 76,948 cigarettes a day, 2.3 million a month, or 28.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 846,424 minutes a day and 308.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Altoona is 76.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 7.72 lifetimes a year.
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