Health Profile of Jefferson County, Tennessee
Jefferson 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
Jefferson County Below averageHealthier than 77% of counties in Tennessee
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Jefferson County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.5 | 74.8 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 9.0% | 10.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 17.6% | 19.5% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Jefferson County is 75.5 years, about 0.7 years longer than the Tennessee average of 74.8 years. The uninsured rate is 9.0%, lower than the Tennessee average of 10.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 17.6% of residents, lower than the Tennessee average of 19.5%.
Population by Age
Older residents
23,730 residents in Jefferson County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,062 352 men · 710 women
- 75–84 3,203 1,484 men · 1,719 women
- 65–74 6,684 3,218 men · 3,467 women
- 50–64 12,780 6,295 men · 6,485 women
Younger residents
10,488 residents in Jefferson County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 3,234 1,656 boys · 1,577 girls
- 7–12 3,143 1,626 boys · 1,517 girls
- 3–7 2,427 1,193 boys · 1,234 girls
- 0–3 1,684 785 boys · 899 girls
About 4,051 residents in Jefferson County (7.1% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.5 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Jefferson County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.7% | 13.6% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.0% | 7.0% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.7% | 8.1% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 36.5% | 37.9% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Jefferson County are about the same as in Tennessee.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Jefferson County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 24.0% | 25.1% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.0% | 13.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 27.4% | 28.4% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Jefferson County are about the same as in Tennessee.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 109,973 cigarettes a day, 3.3 million a month, or 40.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.2 million minutes a day and 441.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Jefferson County is 75.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 11 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 | Jefferson County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.73 | 6.39 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.7 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Jefferson County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Jefferson County, TN Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Jefferson County, TN is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 56,834 residents against a local median of 36,809. The measure that sets Jefferson County, TN apart most is uninsured: 9.0%, 29% below the local median of 12.7%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 5.2% on uninsured, so Jefferson County, TN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Jefferson County, TN has the 3rd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, TN | 56,834 | 75.5 yrs #2/6 | 9.0% #3/6 | 36.5% #1/6 |
| Grainger County, TN | 24,266 | 73.3 yrs | 8.5% | 38.6% |
| Hamblen County, TN | 65,669 | 74.4 yrs | 12.8% | 37.9% |
| Sevier County, TN | 99,652 | 75.8 yrs | 13.3% | 36.7% |
| Cocke County, TN | 36,809 | 72.7 yrs | 12.7% | 38.7% |
| Union County, TN | 20,431 | 73.4 yrs | 8.1% | 38.2% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, Tennessee.
What is the health grade for Jefferson County, Tennessee?
Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, Tennessee one of the healthiest counties in Tennessee?
Jefferson County ranks 23rd 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 life expectancy in Jefferson County, Tennessee?
People in Jefferson County, Tennessee can expect to live 75.5 years on average, 0.7 years longer than the Tennessee average of 74.8.
How many people lack health insurance in Jefferson County, Tennessee?
9.0% of residents in Jefferson County, Tennessee have no health insurance, about 1 in 11 people, 1.1 points below the Tennessee rate of 10.0%.
How common is obesity in Jefferson County, Tennessee?
36.5% of adults in Jefferson County, Tennessee are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.5 points below the Tennessee rate of 37.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Jefferson County, Tennessee go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 109,973 cigarettes a day, 3.3 million a month, or 40.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.2 million minutes a day and 441.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Jefferson County is 75.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 11 lifetimes a year.
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