Health Profile of Wheeler County, Texas
Wheeler 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
Wheeler County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Wheeler County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.0 | 78.0 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 21.2% | 17.1% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 21.3% | 21.1% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Wheeler County is 77.0 years, about 1.0 years shorter than the Texas average of 78.0 years. The uninsured rate is 21.2%, higher than the Texas average of 17.1%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 21.3% of residents, higher than the Texas average of 21.1%.
Population by Age
Older residents
1,906 residents in Wheeler County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 106 43 men · 64 women
- 75–84 292 130 men · 162 women
- 65–74 535 258 men · 276 women
- 50–64 973 494 men · 479 women
Younger residents
1,149 residents in Wheeler County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 348 178 boys · 170 girls
- 7–12 346 195 boys · 151 girls
- 3–7 266 158 boys · 108 girls
- 0–3 189 121 boys · 67 girls
About 327 residents in Wheeler County (6.7% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 77.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Wheeler County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 14.0% | 13.9% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.4% | 6.5% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.8% | 7.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 36.5% | 37.6% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Wheeler County are about the same as in Texas.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Wheeler County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 21.2% | 19.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.9% | 17.3% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 28.9% | 29.2% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Wheeler County are about the same as in Texas.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 7,831 cigarettes a day, 234,919 a month, or 2.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 86,137 minutes a day and 31.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Wheeler County is 77.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.78 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 | Wheeler County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.87 | 6.84 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.9 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Wheeler County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Wheeler County, TX Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Wheeler County, TX is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 4,862 residents against a local median of 3,359. The measure that sets Wheeler County, TX apart most is uninsured: 21.2%, 20% above the local median of 17.7%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 11.6% on uninsured, so Wheeler County, TX sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Wheeler County, TX has the 5th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler County, TX | 4,862 | 77.0 yrs #3/6 | 21.2% #5/6 | 36.6% #3/6 |
| Hemphill County, TX | 3,234 | 80.2 yrs | 18.4% | 34.3% |
| Collingsworth County, TX | 2,588 | 76.3 yrs | 22.1% | 37.1% |
| Gray County, TX | 21,045 | 76.2 yrs | 17.7% | 39.5% |
| Beckham County, OK | 22,144 | 74.9 yrs | 10.9% | 37.3% |
| Roger Mills County, OK | 3,359 | 82.4 yrs | 10.5% | 36.3% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wheeler County, 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 Wheeler County, Texas.
Is Wheeler County, Texas a healthy place to live?
Wheeler County, 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.
Is Wheeler County, Texas one of the healthiest counties in Texas?
Wheeler County ranks 165th healthiest out of 247 counties in Texas by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the life expectancy in Wheeler County, Texas?
People in Wheeler County, Texas can expect to live 77.0 years on average, 1.0 years shorter than the Texas average of 78.0.
What is the uninsured rate in Wheeler County, Texas?
21.2% of residents in Wheeler County, Texas have no health insurance, about 1 in 5 people, 4.1 points above the Texas rate of 17.1%.
What is the obesity rate in Wheeler County, Texas?
36.6% of adults in Wheeler County, Texas are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.0 points below the Texas rate of 37.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Wheeler County, Texas go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 7,831 cigarettes a day, 234,919 a month, or 2.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 86,137 minutes a day and 31.4 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Wheeler County is 77.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.78 lifetimes a year.
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