Health Profile of Amherst County, Virginia
Amherst 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
Amherst County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Amherst County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.7 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 6.8% | 6.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 17.6% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Amherst County is 76.7 years, about 0.6 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3 years. The uninsured rate is 6.8%, lower than the Virginia average of 6.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 17.6% of residents, higher than the Virginia average of 16.9%.
Population by Age
Older residents
13,127 residents in Amherst County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 601 242 men · 360 women
- 75–84 2,093 814 men · 1,279 women
- 65–74 3,670 1,704 men · 1,966 women
- 50–64 6,763 3,212 men · 3,550 women
Younger residents
5,945 residents in Amherst County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,828 984 boys · 844 girls
- 7–12 1,821 939 boys · 882 girls
- 3–7 1,350 667 boys · 684 girls
- 0–3 945 471 boys · 474 girls
About 2,273 residents in Amherst County (7.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.7 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Amherst County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 13.0% | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.0% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.2% | 6.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 37.4% | 36.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Amherst County are about the same as in Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Amherst County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 20.1% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.3% | 15.2% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 25.5% | 24.8% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Amherst County are about the same as in Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 50,647 cigarettes a day, 1.5 million a month, or 18.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 557,115 minutes a day and 203.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Amherst County is 76.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 5.05 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 | Amherst County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.30 | 6.12 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Amherst County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Amherst County, VA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
How Amherst County, VA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst County, VA | 31,478 | 76.7 yrs #3/3 | 6.8% #2/3 | 37.4% #3/3 |
| Nelson County, VA | 14,732 | 77.8 yrs | 7.1% | 35.6% |
| Rockbridge County, VA | 22,531 | 80.2 yrs | 4.8% | 32.1% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Amherst County, Virginia has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Virginia, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Amherst County, Virginia.
Is Amherst County, Virginia a healthy place to live?
Amherst County, Virginia 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 Amherst County, Virginia one of the healthiest counties in Virginia?
Amherst County ranks 79th healthiest out of 133 counties in Virginia by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
How long do people live in Amherst County, Virginia?
People in Amherst County, Virginia can expect to live 76.7 years on average, 0.6 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3.
How many people lack health insurance in Amherst County, Virginia?
6.8% of residents in Amherst County, Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 15 people, about the same as the Virginia rate of 6.9%.
How common is obesity in Amherst County, Virginia?
37.4% of adults in Amherst County, Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.0 points above the Virginia rate of 36.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Amherst County, Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 50,647 cigarettes a day, 1.5 million a month, or 18.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 557,115 minutes a day and 203.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Amherst County is 76.7 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 5.05 lifetimes a year.
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