Health Profile of Sussex County, Virginia
Sussex 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
Sussex County Below averageLess healthy than 93% of counties in Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Sussex County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 71.0 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 8.6% | 6.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 19.9% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Sussex County is 71.0 years, about 6.3 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3 years. The uninsured rate is 8.6%, higher than the Virginia average of 6.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 19.9% of residents, higher than the Virginia average of 16.9%.
Population by Age
Older residents
3,956 residents in Sussex County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 138 56 men · 82 women
- 75–84 617 246 men · 371 women
- 65–74 1,055 504 men · 551 women
- 50–64 2,147 1,174 men · 973 women
Younger residents
1,633 residents in Sussex County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 502 217 boys · 284 girls
- 7–12 497 248 boys · 249 girls
- 3–7 371 204 boys · 168 girls
- 0–3 262 144 boys · 118 girls
About 1,165 residents in Sussex County (10.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 71.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Sussex County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 14.2% | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.6% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.5% | 6.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 45.7% | 36.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of obesity in Sussex County is about 26% higher than in Virginia. The rate of cancer in Sussex County is about 18% lower than in Virginia. The rate of diabetes in Sussex County is about 16% higher than in Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Sussex County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 22.8% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 15.7% | 15.2% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 28.8% | 24.8% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Sussex County is about 20% higher than in Virginia. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Sussex County is about 16% higher than in Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 20,718 cigarettes a day, 621,545 a month, or 7.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 227,900 minutes a day and 83.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Sussex County is 71.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.23 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 | Sussex County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.79 | 6.12 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.8 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Sussex County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Sussex County, VA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
How Sussex County, VA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sussex County, VA | 10,765 | 71.0 yrs #3/3 | 8.6% #3/3 | 45.7% #3/3 |
| Southampton County, VA | 17,965 | 77.0 yrs | 4.9% | 41.4% |
| Prince George County, VA | 43,064 | 79.6 yrs | 5.3% | 36.2% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Sussex County, 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 Sussex County, Virginia.
What is the health grade for Sussex County, Virginia?
Sussex 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 Sussex County, Virginia one of the healthiest counties in Virginia?
Sussex County ranks 124th 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.
What is the life expectancy in Sussex County, Virginia?
People in Sussex County, Virginia can expect to live 71.0 years on average, 6.3 years shorter than the Virginia average of 77.3.
What percentage of Sussex County, Virginia residents are uninsured?
8.6% of residents in Sussex County, Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 12 people, 1.7 points above the Virginia rate of 6.9%.
What percentage of Sussex County, Virginia residents are obese?
45.7% of adults in Sussex County, Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 9.3 points above the Virginia rate of 36.3%.
What is the biggest health concern in Sussex County, Virginia?
Compared with Virginia as a whole, obesity stands out most: the adult rate here is 45.7%, about 26% higher than the Virginia rate of 36.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Sussex County, Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 20,718 cigarettes a day, 621,545 a month, or 7.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 227,900 minutes a day and 83.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Sussex County is 71.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.23 lifetimes a year.
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