Health Profile of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania
Jefferson 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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C
Jefferson County Below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in Pennsylvania
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Jefferson County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.7 | 78.4 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 8.5% | 5.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 17.4% | 15.7% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Jefferson County is 77.7 years, about 0.7 years shorter than the Pennsylvania average of 78.4 years. The uninsured rate is 8.5%, higher than the Pennsylvania average of 5.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 17.4% of residents, higher than the Pennsylvania average of 15.7%.
Population by Age
Older residents
18,551 residents in Jefferson County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,095 367 men · 728 women
- 75–84 2,971 1,351 men · 1,620 women
- 65–74 5,148 2,502 men · 2,646 women
- 50–64 9,337 4,737 men · 4,600 women
Younger residents
8,838 residents in Jefferson County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,847 1,494 boys · 1,353 girls
- 7–12 2,648 1,330 boys · 1,318 girls
- 3–7 1,951 972 boys · 979 girls
- 0–3 1,393 720 boys · 674 girls
About 3,095 residents in Jefferson County (7.1% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 77.7 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Jefferson County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.0% | 11.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.7% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.4% | 7.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 38.6% | 34.5% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Jefferson County are about the same as in Pennsylvania.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Jefferson County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 22.1% | 20.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.8% | 18.3% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 27.9% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Jefferson County are about the same as in Pennsylvania.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 76,402 cigarettes a day, 2.3 million a month, or 27.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 840,422 minutes a day and 306.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Jefferson County is 77.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 7.51 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 | Jefferson County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.79 | 6.88 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.8 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Jefferson County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Jefferson County, PA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Jefferson County, PA is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 43,864 residents against a local median of 37,179. The measure that sets Jefferson County, PA apart most is uninsured: 8.5%, 41% above the local median of 6.1%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 4.9% on uninsured, so Jefferson County, PA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Jefferson County, PA has the 6th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, PA | 43,864 | 77.7 yrs #5/6 | 8.5% #6/6 | 38.6% #5/6 |
| Clarion County, PA | 37,179 | 79.2 yrs | 6.1% | 35.5% |
| Forest County, PA | 6,715 | 76.5 yrs | 6.4% | 39.8% |
| Elk County, PA | 30,506 | 78.3 yrs | 2.3% | 31.6% |
| Indiana County, PA | 83,041 | 78.8 yrs | 7.2% | 34.0% |
| Clearfield County, PA | 78,582 | 78.1 yrs | 5.9% | 34.4% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Jefferson County, 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 Jefferson County, Pennsylvania.
How healthy is Jefferson County, Pennsylvania?
Jefferson County, 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.
Is Jefferson County, Pennsylvania one of the healthiest counties in Pennsylvania?
Jefferson County ranks 65th healthiest out of 67 counties in Pennsylvania by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
How long do people live in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania?
People in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania can expect to live 77.7 years on average, 0.7 years shorter than the Pennsylvania average of 78.4.
How many people lack health insurance in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania?
8.5% of residents in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania have no health insurance, about 1 in 12 people, 2.9 points above the Pennsylvania rate of 5.6%.
What percentage of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania residents are obese?
38.6% of adults in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 4.1 points above the Pennsylvania rate of 34.5%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 76,402 cigarettes a day, 2.3 million a month, or 27.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 840,422 minutes a day and 306.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Jefferson County is 77.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 7.51 lifetimes a year.
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