Health Profile of Waco, Texas
Waco 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
Waco Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Waco | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.9 | 78.0 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 16.1% | 17.1% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 22.9% | 21.1% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Waco is 75.9 years, about 2.1 years shorter than the Texas average of 78.0 years. The uninsured rate is 16.1%, lower than the Texas average of 17.1%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 22.9% of residents, higher than the Texas average of 21.1%.
Population by Age
Older residents
34,920 residents in Waco are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 2,539 721 men · 1,818 women
- 75–84 5,192 2,149 men · 3,043 women
- 65–74 8,942 4,011 men · 4,931 women
- 50–64 18,247 8,588 men · 9,660 women
Younger residents
29,188 residents in Waco are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 8,640 4,426 boys · 4,214 girls
- 7–12 8,358 4,272 boys · 4,086 girls
- 3–7 6,805 3,459 boys · 3,346 girls
- 0–3 5,385 2,808 boys · 2,578 girls
About 7,211 residents in Waco (5.5% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.9 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Waco | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.9% | 13.9% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 4.9% | 6.5% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.4% | 7.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 36.3% | 37.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in Waco is about 26% lower than in Texas. The rate of heart disease in Waco is about 18% lower than in Texas.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Waco | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 21.1% | 19.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.7% | 17.3% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 31.1% | 29.2% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Waco are about the same as in Texas.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 216,200 cigarettes a day, 6.5 million a month, or 78.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.4 million minutes a day and 868.0 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Waco is 75.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.06 lifetimes a day, or 22 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 | Waco | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 7.57 | 6.84 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 7.6 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Waco is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Waco, 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 Waco, Texas.
How healthy is Waco, Texas?
Waco, 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 average lifespan in Waco, Texas?
People in Waco, Texas can expect to live 75.9 years on average, 2.1 years shorter than the Texas average of 78.0.
What is the uninsured rate in Waco, Texas?
16.1% of residents in Waco, Texas have no health insurance, about 1 in 6 people, 1.0 points below the Texas rate of 17.1%.
What is the obesity rate in Waco, Texas?
36.3% of adults in Waco, Texas are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.3 points below the Texas rate of 37.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Waco, Texas go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 216,200 cigarettes a day, 6.5 million a month, or 78.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 2.4 million minutes a day and 868.0 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Waco is 75.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.06 lifetimes a day, or 22 lifetimes a year.
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