Health Profile of Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke 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
Roanoke Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Roanoke | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 74.8 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 9.8% | 6.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 19.6% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Roanoke is 74.8 years, about 2.5 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3 years. The uninsured rate is 9.8%, higher than the Virginia average of 6.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 19.6% of residents, higher than the Virginia average of 16.9%.
Population by Age
Older residents
35,095 residents in Roanoke are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 2,718 726 men · 1,992 women
- 75–84 4,537 1,800 men · 2,737 women
- 65–74 9,369 4,103 men · 5,266 women
- 50–64 18,471 9,005 men · 9,466 women
Younger residents
20,886 residents in Roanoke are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 6,152 3,086 boys · 3,065 girls
- 7–12 5,967 3,094 boys · 2,873 girls
- 3–7 4,891 2,439 boys · 2,452 girls
- 0–3 3,877 1,828 boys · 2,049 girls
About 7,420 residents in Roanoke (7.5% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 74.8 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Roanoke | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 13.0% | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.5% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.7% | 6.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 37.2% | 36.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Roanoke are about the same as in Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Roanoke | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 21.7% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.0% | 15.2% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 28.0% | 24.8% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Roanoke are about the same as in Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 164,960 cigarettes a day, 4.9 million a month, or 60.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.8 million minutes a day and 662.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Roanoke is 74.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.05 lifetimes a day, or 17 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 | Roanoke | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.32 | 6.12 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Roanoke is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Roanoke, VA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Roanoke, VA compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke, VA | 98,343 | 74.8 yrs #3/3 | 9.8% #3/3 | 37.2% #3/3 |
| Cave Spring, VA | 23,140 | 81.5 yrs | 3.9% | 32.9% |
| Salem, VA | 25,618 | 76.6 yrs | 4.3% | 31.0% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Roanoke, Virginia has an overall health index grade of C, making it about on par with Virginia, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Roanoke, Virginia.
Is Roanoke, Virginia a healthy place to live?
Roanoke, 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.
What is the average lifespan in Roanoke, Virginia?
People in Roanoke, Virginia can expect to live 74.8 years on average, 2.5 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3.
What percentage of Roanoke, Virginia residents are uninsured?
9.8% of residents in Roanoke, Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 10 people, 2.9 points above the Virginia rate of 6.9%.
How common is obesity in Roanoke, Virginia?
37.2% of adults in Roanoke, Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 0.8 points above the Virginia rate of 36.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Roanoke, Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 164,960 cigarettes a day, 4.9 million a month, or 60.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.8 million minutes a day and 662.3 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Roanoke is 74.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.05 lifetimes a day, or 17 lifetimes a year.
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