Health Profile of McAllen, Texas
McAllen 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
McAllen Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | McAllen | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 80.3 | 78.0 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 24.3% | 17.1% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 24.1% | 21.1% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in McAllen is 80.3 years, about 2.3 years longer than the Texas average of 78.0 years. The uninsured rate is 24.3%, higher than the Texas average of 17.1%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 24.1% of residents, higher than the Texas average of 21.1%.
Population by Age
Older residents
41,275 residents in McAllen are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 2,185 648 men · 1,536 women
- 75–84 5,772 2,306 men · 3,466 women
- 65–74 10,551 4,724 men · 5,827 women
- 50–64 22,767 10,290 men · 12,477 women
Younger residents
39,051 residents in McAllen are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 12,010 6,648 boys · 5,362 girls
- 7–12 11,679 6,280 boys · 5,399 girls
- 3–7 8,922 4,711 boys · 4,211 girls
- 0–3 6,440 3,537 boys · 2,903 girls
About 4,407 residents in McAllen (3.0% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 80.3 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | McAllen | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 16.7% | 13.9% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.6% | 6.5% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.4% | 7.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 39.3% | 37.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in McAllen is about 29% lower than in Texas. The rate of diabetes in McAllen is about 21% higher than in Texas. The rate of heart disease in McAllen is about 17% lower than in Texas.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | McAllen | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 15.2% | 19.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.9% | 17.3% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 29.1% | 29.2% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in McAllen is about 24% lower than in Texas.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 160,602 cigarettes a day, 4.8 million a month, or 58.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.8 million minutes a day and 644.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in McAllen is 80.3 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 15 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 | McAllen | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 8.23 | 6.84 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 8.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in McAllen is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
McAllen, TX Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How McAllen, TX compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen, TX | 146,716 | 80.3 yrs #3/3 | 24.3% #1/3 | 39.3% #2/3 |
| Pharr, TX | 72,563 | 81.0 yrs | 29.9% | 42.3% |
| Mission, TX | 82,130 | 80.8 yrs | 25.5% | 39.1% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, McAllen, Texas has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Texas, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in McAllen, Texas.
How healthy is McAllen, Texas?
McAllen, Texas 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 McAllen, Texas?
People in McAllen, Texas can expect to live 80.3 years on average, 2.3 years longer than the Texas average of 78.0.
What percentage of McAllen, Texas residents are uninsured?
24.3% of residents in McAllen, Texas have no health insurance, about 1 in 4 people, 7.1 points above the Texas rate of 17.1%.
What is the obesity rate in McAllen, Texas?
39.3% of adults in McAllen, Texas are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.7 points above the Texas rate of 37.6%.
Which health problem stands out most in McAllen, Texas?
Compared with Texas as a whole, diabetes stands out most: the adult rate here is 16.7%, about 21% higher than the Texas rate of 13.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in McAllen, Texas go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 160,602 cigarettes a day, 4.8 million a month, or 58.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.8 million minutes a day and 644.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in McAllen is 80.3 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 15 lifetimes a year.
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