Health Profile of DeKalb County, Tennessee
DeKalb 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
DeKalb County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | DeKalb County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 73.3 | 74.8 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 8.7% | 10.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 19.4% | 19.5% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in DeKalb County is 73.3 years, about 1.5 years shorter than the Tennessee average of 74.8 years. The uninsured rate is 8.7%, lower than the Tennessee average of 10.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 19.5% of residents, lower than the Tennessee average of 19.5%.
Population by Age
Older residents
8,214 residents in DeKalb County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 409 113 men · 296 women
- 75–84 1,034 480 men · 554 women
- 65–74 2,285 1,071 men · 1,214 women
- 50–64 4,486 2,274 men · 2,212 women
Younger residents
4,335 residents in DeKalb County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,287 620 boys · 667 girls
- 7–12 1,211 623 boys · 588 girls
- 3–7 1,018 545 boys · 473 girls
- 0–3 819 431 boys · 388 girls
About 1,799 residents in DeKalb County (8.6% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 73.3 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | DeKalb County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 13.4% | 13.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.2% | 7.0% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.2% | 8.1% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 39.8% | 37.9% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in DeKalb County are about the same as in Tennessee.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | DeKalb County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 25.1% | 25.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 13.6% | 13.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 27.9% | 28.4% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in DeKalb County are about the same as in Tennessee.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 41,087 cigarettes a day, 1.2 million a month, or 15.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 451,957 minutes a day and 165.0 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in DeKalb County is 73.3 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.28 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 | DeKalb County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.19 | 6.39 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in DeKalb County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
DeKalb County, TN Health Compared With Nearby Counties
DeKalb County, TN is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 20,959 residents against a local median of 28,160. Where DeKalb County, TN breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 18% below the local median of 10.6% at 8.7%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 4.0% on uninsured, so DeKalb County, TN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. DeKalb County, TN has the 3rd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County, TN | 20,959 | 73.3 yrs #6/6 | 8.7% #3/6 | 39.8% #6/6 |
| Cannon County, TN | 14,818 | 74.8 yrs | 8.5% | 35.6% |
| Smith County, TN | 20,389 | 73.9 yrs | 8.3% | 38.0% |
| Warren County, TN | 42,165 | 73.6 yrs | 12.0% | 36.7% |
| Putnam County, TN | 82,558 | 75.9 yrs | 10.6% | 36.9% |
| White County, TN | 28,160 | 73.6 yrs | 12.3% | 37.0% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, DeKalb County, Tennessee has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Tennessee, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in DeKalb County, Tennessee.
What is the health grade for DeKalb County, Tennessee?
DeKalb County, Tennessee 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 DeKalb County, Tennessee one of the healthiest counties in Tennessee?
DeKalb County ranks 56th healthiest out of 95 counties in Tennessee by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in DeKalb County, Tennessee?
People in DeKalb County, Tennessee can expect to live 73.3 years on average, 1.5 years shorter than the Tennessee average of 74.8.
What percentage of DeKalb County, Tennessee residents are uninsured?
8.7% of residents in DeKalb County, Tennessee have no health insurance, about 1 in 11 people, 1.3 points below the Tennessee rate of 10.0%.
How common is obesity in DeKalb County, Tennessee?
39.8% of adults in DeKalb County, Tennessee are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.8 points above the Tennessee rate of 37.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in DeKalb County, Tennessee go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 41,087 cigarettes a day, 1.2 million a month, or 15.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 451,957 minutes a day and 165.0 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in DeKalb County is 73.3 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 4.28 lifetimes a year.
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