Health Profile of Providence, Rhode Island
Providence 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
Providence Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Providence | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.9 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.4% | 4.4% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 16.3% | 11.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Providence is 77.9 years, about 1.9 years shorter than the Rhode Island average of 79.9 years. The uninsured rate is 7.4%, higher than the Rhode Island average of 4.4%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 16.3% of residents, higher than the Rhode Island average of 11.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
49,529 residents in Providence are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 3,045 813 men · 2,232 women
- 75–84 6,177 2,423 men · 3,753 women
- 65–74 10,996 4,943 men · 6,053 women
- 50–64 29,311 14,328 men · 14,983 women
Younger residents
38,144 residents in Providence are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 11,353 5,984 boys · 5,369 girls
- 7–12 11,085 5,384 boys · 5,702 girls
- 3–7 8,944 4,580 boys · 4,364 girls
- 0–3 6,762 3,764 boys · 2,997 girls
About 7,200 residents in Providence (3.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 77.9 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Providence | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.3% | 9.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.1% | 7.0% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.0% | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 33.4% | 27.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in Providence is about 42% lower than in Rhode Island. The rate of obesity in Providence is about 21% higher than in Rhode Island. The rate of heart disease in Providence is about 18% lower than in Rhode Island.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Providence | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 16.1% | 14.8% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.3% | 17.7% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 30.1% | 19.1% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Providence is about 58% higher than in Rhode Island.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 246,058 cigarettes a day, 7.4 million a month, or 89.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.7 million minutes a day and 987.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Providence is 77.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.07 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 | Providence | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.23 | 5.30 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Providence is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Providence, RI Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Providence, RI is the largest of the 5 cities compared here, 191,427 residents against a local median of 61,462. Where Providence, RI breaks from the cities next to it is uninsured, sitting 47% above the local median of 5.0% at 7.4%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 13.9% on uninsured, so Providence, RI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Providence, RI has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence, RI | 191,427 | 77.9 yrs #3/5 | 7.4% #4/5 | 33.4% #3/5 |
| East Providence, RI | 47,128 | 79.1 yrs | 3.2% | 30.3% |
| Pawtucket, RI | 75,796 | 77.2 yrs | 4.7% | 33.6% |
| Central Falls, RI | 22,570 | 76.1 yrs | 17.1% | 40.2% |
| Cranston, RI | 83,232 | 80.2 yrs | 5.3% | 29.3% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Providence, Rhode Island has an overall health index grade of B, making it about on par with Rhode Island, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Providence, Rhode Island.
Is Providence, Rhode Island a healthy place to live?
Providence, 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.
What is the life expectancy in Providence, Rhode Island?
People in Providence, Rhode Island can expect to live 77.9 years on average, 1.9 years shorter than the Rhode Island average of 79.9.
How many people lack health insurance in Providence, Rhode Island?
7.4% of residents in Providence, Rhode Island have no health insurance, about 1 in 14 people, 3.0 points above the Rhode Island rate of 4.4%.
What percentage of Providence, Rhode Island residents are obese?
33.4% of adults in Providence, Rhode Island are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 5.8 points above the Rhode Island rate of 27.6%.
Which health problem stands out most in Providence, Rhode Island?
Compared with Rhode Island as a whole, physical inactivity stands out most: the adult rate here is 30.1%, about 58% higher than the Rhode Island rate of 19.1%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Providence, Rhode Island go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 246,058 cigarettes a day, 7.4 million a month, or 89.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.7 million minutes a day and 987.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Providence is 77.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.07 lifetimes a day, or 24 lifetimes a year.
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