Health Profile of Kent County, Rhode Island
Kent 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
Kent County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Kent County | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.9 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 3.2% | 4.4% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 12.0% | 11.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Kent County is 78.9 years, about 1.0 years shorter than the Rhode Island average of 79.9 years. The uninsured rate is 3.2%, lower than the Rhode Island average of 4.4%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 12.0% of residents, higher than the Rhode Island average of 11.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
69,331 residents in Kent County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 4,177 1,258 men · 2,919 women
- 75–84 9,727 4,006 men · 5,722 women
- 65–74 17,711 8,122 men · 9,590 women
- 50–64 37,715 18,318 men · 19,397 women
Younger residents
29,818 residents in Kent County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 9,002 4,716 boys · 4,286 girls
- 7–12 9,118 4,513 boys · 4,605 girls
- 3–7 6,956 3,463 boys · 3,493 girls
- 0–3 4,743 2,482 boys · 2,260 girls
About 9,672 residents in Kent County (5.7% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.9 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Kent County | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 9.0% | 9.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.3% | 7.0% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.3% | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 32.0% | 27.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of obesity in Kent County is about 16% higher than in Rhode Island.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Kent County | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 17.3% | 14.8% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.0% | 17.7% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 18.4% | 19.1% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Kent County is about 17% higher than in Rhode Island.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 242,873 cigarettes a day, 7.3 million a month, or 88.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.7 million minutes a day and 975.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Kent County is 78.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.06 lifetimes a day, or 24 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 | Kent County | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.38 | 5.30 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Kent County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Kent County, RI Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Kent County, RI is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 171,061 residents against a local median of 84,657. Where Kent County, RI breaks from the counties next to it is obesity, sitting 29% above the local median of 24.9% at 32.0%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 8.4% on obesity, so Kent County, RI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Kent County, RI has the 5th lowest obesity of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County, RI | 171,061 | 78.9 yrs #5/6 | 3.2% #3/6 | 32.0% #5/6 |
| Providence County, RI | 663,899 | 78.5 yrs | 5.4% | 31.8% |
| Washington County, RI | 130,338 | 80.6 yrs | 2.0% | 24.6% |
| Bristol County, RI | 50,443 | 80.7 yrs | 2.3% | 24.8% |
| Newport County, RI | 84,657 | 80.5 yrs | 3.9% | 24.9% |
| Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 78,384 | 80.2 yrs | 3.7% | 33.0% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Kent County, Rhode Island has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Rhode Island, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Kent County, Rhode Island.
What is the health grade for Kent County, Rhode Island?
Kent County, Rhode Island 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 Kent County, Rhode Island one of the healthiest counties in Rhode Island?
Kent County ranks 4th healthiest out of 5 counties in Rhode Island by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
How long do people live in Kent County, Rhode Island?
People in Kent County, Rhode Island can expect to live 78.9 years on average, 1.0 years shorter than the Rhode Island average of 79.9.
What is the uninsured rate in Kent County, Rhode Island?
3.2% of residents in Kent County, Rhode Island have no health insurance, about 1 in 31 people, 1.2 points below the Rhode Island rate of 4.4%.
How common is obesity in Kent County, Rhode Island?
32.0% of adults in Kent County, Rhode Island are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 4.4 points above the Rhode Island rate of 27.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Kent County, Rhode Island go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 242,873 cigarettes a day, 7.3 million a month, or 88.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.7 million minutes a day and 975.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Kent County is 78.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.06 lifetimes a day, or 24 lifetimes a year.
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