In 2019, the percentage of adults aged ≥18 years reported to be in fair or poor health was higher among those living in nonmetropolitan areas (20.3%) than among those living in metropolitan areas (14.5%). Percentages in fair or poor health were higher in nonmetropolitan areas for those aged 18–39 years (10.9% versus 7.4%) and 40–64 years (22.9% versus 16.2%), but the difference by urbanization level did not reach statistical significance for adults aged ≥65 years (27.2% versus 24.7%). The percentage reporting fair or poor health increased with age in both nonmetropolitan and metropolitan areas.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm
Footnotes
With 95% confidence intervals indicated by error bars.
† Based on a response to the question, “Would you say your health in general is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?”
§ Urbanization level is based on the Office of Management and Budget’s February 2013 delineation of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), in which each MSA must have at least one urbanized area of ≥50,000 inhabitants. Areas with <50,000 inhabitants are grouped into the nonmetropolitan category.
¶ Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population.