Health Profile of North Charleston, South Carolina
North Charleston 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
North Charleston Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | North Charleston | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 74.6 | 75.8 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 15.4% | 9.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 19.8% | 19.6% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in North Charleston is 74.6 years, about 1.2 years shorter than the South Carolina average of 75.8 years. The uninsured rate is 15.4%, higher than the South Carolina average of 9.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 19.8% of residents, higher than the South Carolina average of 19.6%.
Population by Age
Older residents
34,178 residents in North Charleston are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,424 495 men · 929 women
- 75–84 3,703 1,419 men · 2,284 women
- 65–74 8,435 3,902 men · 4,533 women
- 50–64 20,616 9,555 men · 11,061 women
Younger residents
27,183 residents in North Charleston are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 7,536 3,610 boys · 3,926 girls
- 7–12 7,758 3,854 boys · 3,904 girls
- 3–7 6,582 3,397 boys · 3,184 girls
- 0–3 5,308 2,787 boys · 2,521 girls
About 5,385 residents in North Charleston (4.3% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 74.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | North Charleston | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.6% | 14.2% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.6% | 6.4% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.7% | 7.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 37.0% | 39.9% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in North Charleston is about 29% lower than in South Carolina. The rate of heart disease in North Charleston is about 23% lower than in South Carolina.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | North Charleston | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 21.3% | 21.5% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 19.7% | 16.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 27.3% | 30.0% | 25.1% |
The rate of binge drinking in North Charleston is about 23% higher than in South Carolina.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 206,409 cigarettes a day, 6.2 million a month, or 75.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.3 million minutes a day and 828.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in North Charleston is 74.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.06 lifetimes a day, or 21 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 | North Charleston | South Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.96 | 6.97 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.0 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in North Charleston is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
North Charleston, SC Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How North Charleston, SC compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Charleston, SC | 123,884 | 74.6 yrs #3/3 | 15.4% #3/3 | 37.0% #3/3 |
| Hanahan, SC | 21,136 | 78.2 yrs | 11.3% | 36.9% |
| Goose Creek, SC | 42,757 | 77.6 yrs | 9.7% | 34.8% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, North Charleston, South Carolina has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat better than South Carolina, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in North Charleston, South Carolina.
Is North Charleston, South Carolina a healthy place to live?
North Charleston, 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.
What is the life expectancy in North Charleston, South Carolina?
People in North Charleston, South Carolina can expect to live 74.6 years on average, 1.2 years shorter than the South Carolina average of 75.8.
What percentage of North Charleston, South Carolina residents are uninsured?
15.4% of residents in North Charleston, South Carolina have no health insurance, about 1 in 6 people, 5.8 points above the South Carolina rate of 9.6%.
How common is obesity in North Charleston, South Carolina?
37.0% of adults in North Charleston, South Carolina are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 3.0 points below the South Carolina rate of 39.9%.
What health issue is more common in North Charleston, South Carolina than elsewhere?
Compared with South Carolina as a whole, binge drinking stands out most: the adult rate here is 19.7%, about 23% higher than the South Carolina rate of 16.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in North Charleston, South Carolina go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 206,409 cigarettes a day, 6.2 million a month, or 75.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.3 million minutes a day and 828.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in North Charleston is 74.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.06 lifetimes a day, or 21 lifetimes a year.
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