Health Profile of Des Moines, Washington
Des Moines 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
Des Moines Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Des Moines | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.4 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 10.0% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 13.6% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Des Moines is 78.4 years, about 1.3 years shorter than the Washington average of 79.6 years. The uninsured rate is 10.0%, higher than the Washington average of 6.3%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 13.6% of residents, lower than the Washington average of 15.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
10,096 residents in Des Moines are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 986 340 men · 647 women
- 75–84 1,336 579 men · 757 women
- 65–74 2,460 1,077 men · 1,383 women
- 50–64 5,314 2,775 men · 2,539 women
Younger residents
6,363 residents in Des Moines are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,910 926 boys · 983 girls
- 7–12 1,867 1,017 boys · 850 girls
- 3–7 1,494 780 boys · 714 girls
- 0–3 1,092 501 boys · 592 girls
About 1,831 residents in Des Moines (5.9% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.4 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Des Moines | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 8.3% | 10.1% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.7% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.5% | 6.9% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 24.1% | 32.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of obesity in Des Moines is about 26% lower than in Washington. The rate of heart disease in Des Moines is about 19% lower than in Washington. The rate of diabetes in Des Moines is about 17% lower than in Washington.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Des Moines | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 13.3% | 16.4% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.4% | 16.2% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 17.9% | 20.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Des Moines is about 19% lower than in Washington.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 31,852 cigarettes a day, 955,566 a month, or 11.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 350,374 minutes a day and 127.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Des Moines is 78.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.10 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 | Des Moines | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.27 | 5.25 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Des Moines is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Des Moines, WA Health Compared With Nearby Cities
Des Moines, WA is the smallest of the 4 cities compared here, 30,822 residents against a local median of 47,382. There is no headline here. Every measure below sits within 15% of the median across the nearest cities, which makes Des Moines, WA an unremarkable member of its own neighbourhood rather than an outlier in it.
The largest of those small differences is uninsured, 4% below the local median at 10.0% against 10.4%. Des Moines, WA has the 2nd lowest uninsured of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, WA | 30,822 | 78.4 yrs #4/4 | 10.0% #2/4 | 24.1% #1/4 |
| SeaTac, WA | 36,350 | 79.4 yrs | 11.8% | 25.9% |
| Federal Way, WA | 99,921 | 79.1 yrs | 10.0% | 24.4% |
| Burien, WA | 47,382 | 80.1 yrs | 10.4% | 24.5% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Des Moines, Washington has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Washington, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Des Moines, Washington.
How healthy is Des Moines, Washington?
Des Moines, Washington 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 average lifespan in Des Moines, Washington?
People in Des Moines, Washington can expect to live 78.4 years on average, 1.3 years shorter than the Washington average of 79.6.
What is the uninsured rate in Des Moines, Washington?
10.0% of residents in Des Moines, Washington have no health insurance, about 1 in 10 people, 3.6 points above the Washington rate of 6.3%.
What percentage of Des Moines, Washington residents are obese?
24.1% of adults in Des Moines, Washington are classified as obese, about 1 in 4, 8.4 points below the Washington rate of 32.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Des Moines, Washington go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 31,852 cigarettes a day, 955,566 a month, or 11.6 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 350,374 minutes a day and 127.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Des Moines is 78.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 3.10 lifetimes a year.
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