Health Profile of Providence County, Rhode Island
Providence 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
Providence County Around averageLeast healthy county in Rhode Island
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Providence County | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.5 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.4% | 4.4% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 14.4% | 11.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Providence County is 78.5 years, about 1.3 years shorter than the Rhode Island average of 79.9 years. The uninsured rate is 5.4%, higher than the Rhode Island average of 4.4%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 14.4% of residents, higher than the Rhode Island average of 11.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
224,560 residents in Providence County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 14,184 4,308 men · 9,876 women
- 75–84 30,309 12,243 men · 18,066 women
- 65–74 55,437 25,607 men · 29,830 women
- 50–64 124,630 61,153 men · 63,477 women
Younger residents
131,659 residents in Providence County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 40,588 21,340 boys · 19,248 girls
- 7–12 38,472 19,649 boys · 18,823 girls
- 3–7 30,041 15,004 boys · 15,038 girls
- 0–3 22,557 11,349 boys · 11,209 girls
About 31,869 residents in Providence County (4.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.5 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Providence County | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.1% | 9.0% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.8% | 7.0% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.0% | 6.0% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 31.8% | 27.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in Providence County is about 17% lower than in Rhode Island. The rate of obesity in Providence County is about 15% higher than in Rhode Island.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Providence County | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 16.1% | 14.8% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.3% | 17.7% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 27.1% | 19.1% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Providence County is about 42% higher than in Rhode Island.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 851,251 cigarettes a day, 25.5 million a month, or 310.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 9.4 million minutes a day and 3.4 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Providence County is 78.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.23 lifetimes a day, or 83 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 County | Rhode Island Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.24 | 5.30 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Providence County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Providence County, RI Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Providence County, RI is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 663,899 residents against a local median of 84,657. Where Providence County, RI breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 69% above the local median of 3.2% at 5.4%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Obesity tells the same story from another angle: 31.8% against a local median of 24.9%, 28% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Providence County, RI reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 1.9% on uninsured, so Providence County, RI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Providence County, RI has the 6th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence County, RI | 663,899 | 78.5 yrs #6/6 | 5.4% #6/6 | 31.8% #4/6 |
| Kent County, RI | 171,061 | 78.9 yrs | 3.2% | 32.0% |
| Bristol County, RI | 50,443 | 80.7 yrs | 2.3% | 24.8% |
| Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 78,384 | 80.2 yrs | 3.7% | 33.0% |
| Newport County, RI | 84,657 | 80.5 yrs | 3.9% | 24.9% |
| Washington County, RI | 130,338 | 80.6 yrs | 2.0% | 24.6% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Providence County, 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 County, Rhode Island.
What is the health grade for Providence County, Rhode Island?
Providence 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 Providence County, Rhode Island one of the healthiest counties in Rhode Island?
No. Providence County ranks last of 5 counties in Rhode Island by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the life expectancy in Providence County, Rhode Island?
People in Providence County, Rhode Island can expect to live 78.5 years on average, 1.3 years shorter than the Rhode Island average of 79.9.
How many people lack health insurance in Providence County, Rhode Island?
5.4% of residents in Providence County, Rhode Island have no health insurance, about 1 in 19 people, 1.0 points above the Rhode Island rate of 4.4%.
How common is obesity in Providence County, Rhode Island?
31.8% of adults in Providence County, Rhode Island are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 4.2 points above the Rhode Island rate of 27.6%.
What is the biggest health concern in Providence County, Rhode Island?
Compared with Rhode Island as a whole, physical inactivity stands out most: the adult rate here is 27.1%, about 42% higher than the Rhode Island rate of 19.1%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Providence County, Rhode Island go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 851,251 cigarettes a day, 25.5 million a month, or 310.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 9.4 million minutes a day and 3.4 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Providence County is 78.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.23 lifetimes a day, or 83 lifetimes a year.
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