Health Profile of Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk 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
Suffolk Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Suffolk | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.2 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 6.4% | 6.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 15.8% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Suffolk is 76.2 years, about 1.0 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3 years. The uninsured rate is 6.4%, lower than the Virginia average of 6.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 15.8% of residents, lower than the Virginia average of 16.9%.
Population by Age
Older residents
32,607 residents in Suffolk are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,374 396 men · 977 women
- 75–84 3,997 1,662 men · 2,335 women
- 65–74 8,131 3,809 men · 4,322 women
- 50–64 19,105 9,257 men · 9,848 women
Younger residents
23,086 residents in Suffolk are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 7,147 3,488 boys · 3,659 girls
- 7–12 6,722 3,500 boys · 3,223 girls
- 3–7 5,203 2,701 boys · 2,502 girls
- 0–3 4,014 1,986 boys · 2,028 girls
About 4,754 residents in Suffolk (4.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.2 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Suffolk | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.1% | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.1% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.7% | 6.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 36.3% | 36.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Suffolk is about 17% lower than in Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Suffolk | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 17.8% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.1% | 15.2% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 23.8% | 24.8% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Suffolk are about the same as in Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 134,662 cigarettes a day, 4.0 million a month, or 49.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.5 million minutes a day and 540.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Suffolk is 76.2 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 13 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 | Suffolk | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.91 | 6.12 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.9 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Suffolk is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Suffolk, 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 Suffolk, Virginia.
How healthy is Suffolk, Virginia?
Suffolk, 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.
What is the life expectancy in Suffolk, Virginia?
People in Suffolk, Virginia can expect to live 76.2 years on average, 1.0 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3.
What percentage of Suffolk, Virginia residents are uninsured?
6.4% of residents in Suffolk, Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 16 people, about the same as the Virginia rate of 6.9%.
How common is obesity in Suffolk, Virginia?
36.3% of adults in Suffolk, Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, about the same as the Virginia rate of 36.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Suffolk, Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 134,662 cigarettes a day, 4.0 million a month, or 49.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.5 million minutes a day and 540.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Suffolk is 76.2 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 13 lifetimes a year.
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