Health Profile of Polk County, Wisconsin
Polk 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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B
Polk County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Polk County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 78.5 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 6.2% | 5.2% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 12.6% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Polk County is 78.5 years, about 1.1 years shorter than the Wisconsin average of 79.6 years. The uninsured rate is 6.2%, higher than the Wisconsin average of 5.2%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 12.6% of residents, lower than the Wisconsin average of 13.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
19,840 residents in Polk County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 889 324 men · 565 women
- 75–84 2,840 1,327 men · 1,513 women
- 65–74 5,321 2,676 men · 2,645 women
- 50–64 10,790 5,460 men · 5,330 women
Younger residents
8,859 residents in Polk County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 3,072 1,672 boys · 1,400 girls
- 7–12 2,651 1,370 boys · 1,281 girls
- 3–7 1,843 920 boys · 923 girls
- 0–3 1,292 661 boys · 631 girls
About 2,543 residents in Polk County (5.6% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 78.5 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Polk County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 9.6% | 9.9% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.4% | 7.3% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.6% | 6.7% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 32.5% | 34.9% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Polk County are about the same as in Wisconsin.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Polk County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 17.9% | 18.5% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 24.2% | 23.6% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 21.3% | 21.7% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Polk County are about the same as in Wisconsin.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 65,168 cigarettes a day, 2.0 million a month, or 23.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 716,843 minutes a day and 261.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Polk County is 78.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.34 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 | Polk County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.39 | 6.34 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Polk County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Polk County, WI Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Polk County, WI is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 45,555 residents against a local median of 57,989. The measure that sets Polk County, WI apart most is uninsured: 6.2%, 46% above the local median of 4.3%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.7% on uninsured, so Polk County, WI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Polk County, WI has the 5th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, WI | 45,555 | 78.5 yrs #5/6 | 6.2% #5/6 | 32.5% #2/6 |
| Burnett County, WI | 16,916 | 78.4 yrs | 6.0% | 34.5% |
| St. Croix County, WI | 96,041 | 79.7 yrs | 4.1% | 34.3% |
| Chisago County, MN | 57,989 | 80.3 yrs | 4.3% | 35.2% |
| Barron County, WI | 46,797 | 79.0 yrs | 6.2% | 34.0% |
| Washington County, MN | 276,224 | 81.8 yrs | 3.5% | 30.8% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Polk County, Wisconsin has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Wisconsin, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Polk County, Wisconsin.
What is the health grade for Polk County, Wisconsin?
Polk County, Wisconsin 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.
Is Polk County, Wisconsin one of the healthiest counties in Wisconsin?
Polk County ranks 34th healthiest out of 72 counties in Wisconsin by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Polk County, Wisconsin?
People in Polk County, Wisconsin can expect to live 78.5 years on average, 1.1 years shorter than the Wisconsin average of 79.6.
What percentage of Polk County, Wisconsin residents are uninsured?
6.2% of residents in Polk County, Wisconsin have no health insurance, about 1 in 16 people, 1.0 points above the Wisconsin rate of 5.2%.
What percentage of Polk County, Wisconsin residents are obese?
32.5% of adults in Polk County, Wisconsin are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 2.4 points below the Wisconsin rate of 34.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Polk County, Wisconsin go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 65,168 cigarettes a day, 2.0 million a month, or 23.8 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 716,843 minutes a day and 261.6 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Polk County is 78.5 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 6.34 lifetimes a year.
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