Health Profile of Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester 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
Chester Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Chester | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 72.7 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.7% | 5.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 25.8% | 15.7% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Chester is 72.7 years, about 5.8 years shorter than the Pennsylvania average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 5.7%, higher than the Pennsylvania average of 5.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 25.8% of residents, higher than the Pennsylvania average of 15.7%.
Population by Age
Older residents
10,073 residents in Chester are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 503 141 men · 363 women
- 75–84 1,336 496 men · 840 women
- 65–74 2,622 1,010 men · 1,612 women
- 50–64 5,612 2,687 men · 2,924 women
Younger residents
7,935 residents in Chester are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,339 1,169 boys · 1,171 girls
- 7–12 2,315 1,232 boys · 1,083 girls
- 3–7 1,889 1,037 boys · 851 girls
- 0–3 1,392 767 boys · 625 girls
About 2,334 residents in Chester (6.9% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 72.7 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Chester | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 17.6% | 11.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.9% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.1% | 7.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 42.0% | 34.5% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Chester is about 59% higher than in Pennsylvania. The rate of cancer in Chester is about 32% lower than in Pennsylvania. The rate of obesity in Chester is about 22% higher than in Pennsylvania.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Chester | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 25.0% | 20.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.6% | 18.3% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 36.1% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Chester is about 43% higher than in Pennsylvania. The rate of smoking in Chester is about 24% higher than in Pennsylvania. The rate of binge drinking in Chester is about 20% lower than in Pennsylvania.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 64,431 cigarettes a day, 1.9 million a month, or 23.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 708,736 minutes a day and 258.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Chester is 72.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.77 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 | Chester | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.82 | 6.88 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.8 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Chester is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Chester, Pennsylvania has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat worse than Pennsylvania, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Chester, Pennsylvania.
What is the health grade for Chester, Pennsylvania?
Chester, 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 Chester, Pennsylvania?
People in Chester, Pennsylvania can expect to live 72.7 years on average, 5.8 years shorter than the Pennsylvania average of 78.4.
How many people lack health insurance in Chester, Pennsylvania?
5.7% of residents in Chester, 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 Chester, Pennsylvania?
42.0% of adults in Chester, Pennsylvania are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 7.5 points above the Pennsylvania rate of 34.5%.
What is the biggest health concern in Chester, Pennsylvania?
Compared with Pennsylvania as a whole, diabetes stands out most: the adult rate here is 17.6%, about 59% higher than the Pennsylvania rate of 11.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Chester, Pennsylvania go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 64,431 cigarettes a day, 1.9 million a month, or 23.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 708,736 minutes a day and 258.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Chester is 72.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.77 lifetimes a year.
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