Health Profile of Pulaski County, Virginia
Pulaski 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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B
Pulaski County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Pulaski County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.4 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 5.5% | 6.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 17.1% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Pulaski County is 75.4 years, about 1.8 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3 years. The uninsured rate is 5.5%, lower than the Virginia average of 6.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 17.1% of residents, higher than the Virginia average of 16.9%.
Population by Age
Older residents
14,905 residents in Pulaski County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 644 248 men · 396 women
- 75–84 2,301 941 men · 1,360 women
- 65–74 4,171 2,026 men · 2,145 women
- 50–64 7,789 3,978 men · 3,811 women
Younger residents
5,657 residents in Pulaski County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,907 909 boys · 997 girls
- 7–12 1,642 787 boys · 854 girls
- 3–7 1,196 591 boys · 604 girls
- 0–3 913 459 boys · 454 girls
About 2,818 residents in Pulaski County (8.4% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.4 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Pulaski County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.6% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.6% | 6.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 33.7% | 36.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Pulaski County are about the same as in Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Pulaski County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 20.6% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.4% | 15.2% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 26.1% | 24.8% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Pulaski County are about the same as in Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 56,993 cigarettes a day, 1.7 million a month, or 20.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 626,918 minutes a day and 228.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Pulaski County is 75.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 5.77 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 | Pulaski County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.04 | 6.12 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.0 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Pulaski County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Pulaski County, VA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Pulaski County, VA is the 2nd largest of the 5 counties compared here, 33,685 residents against a local median of 22,857. Pulaski County, VA's uninsured, at 5.5%, runs 19% below the 6.9% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 4.2% on uninsured, so Pulaski County, VA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Pulaski County, VA has the 2nd lowest uninsured of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County, VA | 33,685 | 75.4 yrs #5/5 | 5.5% #2/5 | 33.7% #3/5 |
| Giles County, VA | 16,557 | 76.0 yrs | 6.5% | 33.2% |
| Carroll County, VA | 29,157 | 76.4 yrs | 9.0% | 36.4% |
| Montgomery County, VA | 99,089 | 78.0 yrs | 4.8% | 31.8% |
| Floyd County, VA | 15,593 | 78.1 yrs | 7.3% | 34.4% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Pulaski County, Virginia has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Virginia, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Pulaski County, Virginia.
How healthy is Pulaski County, Virginia?
Pulaski County, Virginia has a Map AI Health Index grade of B, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a B grade means residents are somewhat healthier than the U.S. average.
Is Pulaski County, Virginia one of the healthiest counties in Virginia?
Pulaski County ranks 73rd 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 Pulaski County, Virginia?
People in Pulaski County, Virginia can expect to live 75.4 years on average, 1.8 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3.
How many people lack health insurance in Pulaski County, Virginia?
5.5% of residents in Pulaski County, Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 18 people, 1.4 points below the Virginia rate of 6.9%.
How common is obesity in Pulaski County, Virginia?
33.7% of adults in Pulaski County, Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 2.6 points below the Virginia rate of 36.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Pulaski County, Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 56,993 cigarettes a day, 1.7 million a month, or 20.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 626,918 minutes a day and 228.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Pulaski County is 75.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 5.77 lifetimes a year.
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