Health Profile of Chester County, South Carolina
Chester 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
Chester County Below averageLess healthy than 73% of counties in South Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Chester County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 73.8 | 75.8 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 11.7% | 9.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 20.9% | 19.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Chester County is 73.8 years, about 2.1 years shorter than the South Carolina average of 75.8 years. The uninsured rate is 11.7%, higher than the South Carolina average of 9.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 20.9% of residents, higher than the South Carolina average of 19.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
12,330 residents in Chester County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 519 155 men · 364 women
- 75–84 1,698 770 men · 928 women
- 65–74 3,476 1,628 men · 1,847 women
- 50–64 6,637 3,266 men · 3,371 women
Younger residents
6,933 residents in Chester County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,345 1,208 boys · 1,137 girls
- 7–12 2,060 1,083 boys · 977 girls
- 3–7 1,472 780 boys · 692 girls
- 0–3 1,056 529 boys · 527 girls
About 2,599 residents in Chester County (8.1% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 73.8 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Chester County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 15.0% | 14.2% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.6% | 6.4% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.8% | 7.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 42.5% | 39.9% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Chester County are about the same as in South Carolina.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Chester County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 23.0% | 21.5% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.6% | 16.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 32.2% | 30.0% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Chester County are about the same as in South Carolina.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 57,392 cigarettes a day, 1.7 million a month, or 20.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 631,310 minutes a day and 230.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Chester County is 73.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 5.94 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 County | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.74 | 6.97 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.7 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Chester County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Chester County, SC Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Chester County, SC is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 32,186 residents against a local median of 56,649. The measure that sets Chester County, SC apart most is uninsured: 11.7%, 49% above the local median of 7.9%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.5% on uninsured, so Chester County, SC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Chester County, SC has the 6th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester County, SC | 32,186 | 73.8 yrs #5/6 | 11.7% #6/6 | 42.5% #6/6 |
| York County, SC | 293,716 | 77.2 yrs | 7.6% | 37.0% |
| Fairfield County, SC | 20,550 | 76.3 yrs | 7.0% | 42.1% |
| Lancaster County, SC | 104,481 | 74.9 yrs | 7.9% | 39.8% |
| Union County, SC | 26,885 | 73.5 yrs | 10.5% | 38.8% |
| Cherokee County, SC | 56,649 | 74.2 yrs | 10.5% | 39.8% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Chester County, South Carolina has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with South Carolina, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Chester County, South Carolina.
How healthy is Chester County, South Carolina?
Chester County, South Carolina 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 Chester County, South Carolina one of the healthiest counties in South Carolina?
Chester County ranks 34th healthiest out of 46 counties in South Carolina by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Chester County, South Carolina?
People in Chester County, South Carolina can expect to live 73.8 years on average, 2.1 years shorter than the South Carolina average of 75.8.
How many people lack health insurance in Chester County, South Carolina?
11.7% of residents in Chester County, South Carolina have no health insurance, about 1 in 9 people, 2.1 points above the South Carolina rate of 9.6%.
What percentage of Chester County, South Carolina residents are obese?
42.5% of adults in Chester County, South Carolina are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 2.6 points above the South Carolina rate of 39.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Chester County, South Carolina go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 57,392 cigarettes a day, 1.7 million a month, or 20.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 631,310 minutes a day and 230.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Chester County is 73.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 5.94 lifetimes a year.
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