Health Profile of Salem, Virginia
Salem 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
Salem Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Salem | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.6 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 4.3% | 6.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 13.9% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Salem is 76.6 years, about 0.7 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3 years. The uninsured rate is 4.3%, lower than the Virginia average of 6.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 13.9% of residents, lower than the Virginia average of 16.9%.
Population by Age
Older residents
9,882 residents in Salem are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 630 213 men · 417 women
- 75–84 1,486 612 men · 874 women
- 65–74 2,712 1,171 men · 1,541 women
- 50–64 5,053 2,370 men · 2,683 women
Younger residents
4,560 residents in Salem are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,589 850 boys · 739 girls
- 7–12 1,357 654 boys · 703 girls
- 3–7 934 459 boys · 475 girls
- 0–3 680 363 boys · 317 girls
About 1,818 residents in Salem (7.1% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Salem | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.4% | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.3% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.5% | 6.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 31.0% | 36.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Salem are about the same as in Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Salem | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 16.4% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.0% | 15.2% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 21.4% | 24.8% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Salem are about the same as in Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 33,832 cigarettes a day, 1.0 million a month, or 12.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 372,154 minutes a day and 135.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Salem is 76.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.38 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 | Salem | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.19 | 6.12 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Salem is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Salem, VA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
How Salem, VA compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, VA | 25,618 | 76.6 yrs #2/3 | 4.3% #2/3 | 31.0% #1/3 |
| Cave Spring, VA | 23,140 | 81.5 yrs | 3.9% | 32.9% |
| Roanoke, VA | 98,343 | 74.8 yrs | 9.8% | 37.2% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Salem, 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 Salem, Virginia.
Is Salem, Virginia a healthy place to live?
Salem, 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.
How long do people live in Salem, Virginia?
People in Salem, Virginia can expect to live 76.6 years on average, 0.7 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3.
How many people lack health insurance in Salem, Virginia?
4.3% of residents in Salem, Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 23 people, 2.6 points below the Virginia rate of 6.9%.
What percentage of Salem, Virginia residents are obese?
31.0% of adults in Salem, Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 5.4 points below the Virginia rate of 36.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Salem, Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 33,832 cigarettes a day, 1.0 million a month, or 12.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 372,154 minutes a day and 135.8 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Salem is 76.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.38 lifetimes a year.
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