Health Profile of Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia 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
Columbia Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Columbia | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.1 | 75.8 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 8.7% | 9.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 18.0% | 19.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Columbia is 76.1 years, about 0.2 years longer than the South Carolina average of 75.8 years. The uninsured rate is 8.7%, lower than the South Carolina average of 9.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 18.0% of residents, lower than the South Carolina average of 19.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
34,466 residents in Columbia are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,718 510 men · 1,208 women
- 75–84 4,812 1,951 men · 2,861 women
- 65–74 9,330 4,274 men · 5,055 women
- 50–64 18,606 8,772 men · 9,834 women
Younger residents
21,669 residents in Columbia are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 6,479 3,337 boys · 3,143 girls
- 7–12 5,838 2,970 boys · 2,868 girls
- 3–7 5,125 2,679 boys · 2,445 girls
- 0–3 4,227 2,303 boys · 1,925 girls
About 5,886 residents in Columbia (4.4% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.1 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Columbia | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 11.9% | 14.2% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.8% | 6.4% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.5% | 7.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 37.8% | 39.9% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Columbia is about 26% lower than in South Carolina. The rate of cancer in Columbia is about 25% lower than in South Carolina. The rate of diabetes in Columbia is about 16% lower than in South Carolina.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Columbia | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 17.8% | 21.5% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.8% | 16.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 27.1% | 30.0% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Columbia is about 17% lower than in South Carolina.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 198,071 cigarettes a day, 5.9 million a month, or 72.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.2 million minutes a day and 795.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Columbia is 76.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.05 lifetimes a day, or 20 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 | Columbia | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.21 | 6.97 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Columbia is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Columbia, South Carolina has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than South Carolina, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Columbia, South Carolina.
Is Columbia, South Carolina a healthy place to live?
Columbia, South Carolina 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.
How long do people live in Columbia, South Carolina?
People in Columbia, South Carolina can expect to live 76.1 years on average, about the same as the South Carolina average of 75.8.
What is the uninsured rate in Columbia, South Carolina?
8.7% of residents in Columbia, South Carolina have no health insurance, about 1 in 11 people, 0.9 points below the South Carolina rate of 9.6%.
How common is obesity in Columbia, South Carolina?
37.8% of adults in Columbia, South Carolina are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 2.1 points below the South Carolina rate of 39.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Columbia, South Carolina go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 198,071 cigarettes a day, 5.9 million a month, or 72.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.2 million minutes a day and 795.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Columbia is 76.1 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.05 lifetimes a day, or 20 lifetimes a year.
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