Diabetes rates have been on the rise for the last two decades, and show no sign of abating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 11.3% of the U.S. population suffers from diabetes—though many of those affected do not know they have the chronic illness.
Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in 2020, but the disease does not impact all Americans equally. Instead, variables like poverty level, geographic region, and race all influence diabetes rates, meaning some Americans are disproportionately impacted by the disease.
The Southeastern portion of the U.S. has a particularly high concentration of counties with elevated diabetes rates, with parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, and nearly all of Louisiana, along with other states, facing some of the highest rates. Studies have shown that lack of access to healthy, affordable foods and health care services, exposure to environmental toxins, and other health hazards associated with poverty and systemic racism contribute to the increased likelihood of developing diabetes. These same conditions also mean that poor, non-white Americans are more likely to endure complications and have higher mortality rates from diabetes than wealthier white Americans with the disease.
The proportion of young people with diabetes is projected to increase over the next several decades, with racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities only growing larger if trends continue. Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified the counties in Idaho with the highest percentage of adults with diabetes. Ties were broken by the broader Quality of Life rank provided by the analysis, which includes other poor physical and mental health indicators. The age-adjusted diabetes rate was obtained through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
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1 / 25#25. Idaho County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #10
--- Quality of life rank: #12
--- Length of life rank: #15
- Estimated county population: 16,823
Jon Roanhaus // Wikimedia Commons
2 / 25#24. Clearwater County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #24
--- Quality of life rank: #15
--- Length of life rank: #31
- Estimated county population: 8,846
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 25#23. Fremont County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #9
--- Quality of life rank: #16
--- Length of life rank: #10
- Estimated county population: 13,218
Ian Poellet // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 25#22. Payette County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #35
--- Quality of life rank: #23
--- Length of life rank: #37
- Estimated county population: 24,771
Cornellrockey04 // Wikimedia Commons
5 / 25#21. Camas County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #22
--- Quality of life rank: #26
--- Length of life rank: #18
- Estimated county population: 1,130
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6 / 25#20. Bannock County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #27
--- Length of life rank: #33
- Estimated county population: 88,795
John D // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 25#19. Gem County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #30
--- Quality of life rank: #30
--- Length of life rank: #29
- Estimated county population: 18,703
Ian Poellet // Wikimedia Commons
8 / 25#18. Benewah County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #43
--- Quality of life rank: #38
--- Length of life rank: #43
- Estimated county population: 9,430
Squelle // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 25#17. Butte County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #34
--- Quality of life rank: #40
--- Length of life rank: #18
- Estimated county population: 2,646
Sam Beebe // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 25#16. Washington County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #16
--- Quality of life rank: #17
--- Length of life rank: #16
- Estimated county population: 10,360
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11 / 25#15. Madison County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #6
--- Quality of life rank: #19
--- Length of life rank: #2
- Estimated county population: 40,318
Karthikc123 // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 25#14. Twin Falls County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #25
--- Quality of life rank: #21
--- Length of life rank: #27
- Estimated county population: 88,411
KRRK // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 25#13. Bingham County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #38
--- Quality of life rank: #25
--- Length of life rank: #38
- Estimated county population: 47,202
wilson44691 // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 25#12. Cassia County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #27
--- Quality of life rank: #28
--- Length of life rank: #25
- Estimated county population: 24,277
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 25NPS photo // Wikimedia Commons
16 / 25#10. Gooding County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #28
--- Quality of life rank: #35
--- Length of life rank: #17
- Estimated county population: 15,618
rustejunk // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 25#9. Lewis County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #36
--- Quality of life rank: #42
--- Length of life rank: #18
- Estimated county population: 3,838
jfergusonphotos // Shutterstock
18 / 25#8. Shoshone County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #42
--- Quality of life rank: #43
--- Length of life rank: #40
- Estimated county population: 12,911
Tamanoeconomico // Wikimedia Commons
19 / 25#7. Canyon County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #15
--- Quality of life rank: #20
--- Length of life rank: #13
- Estimated county population: 237,053
JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 25#6. Power County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #29
--- Quality of life rank: #24
--- Length of life rank: #28
- Estimated county population: 7,643
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21 / 25#5. Lincoln County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #41
--- Quality of life rank: #29
--- Length of life rank: #42
- Estimated county population: 5,358
Ken Lund // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 25#4. Minidoka County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #31
--- Quality of life rank: #34
--- Length of life rank: #26
- Estimated county population: 21,216
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
23 / 25#3. Jerome County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #12
--- Quality of life rank: #37
--- Length of life rank: #7
- Estimated county population: 24,578
United States Department of Agriculture // Wikimedia Commons
24 / 25#2. Owyhee County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #40
--- Quality of life rank: #41
--- Length of life rank: #35
- Estimated county population: 12,133
Kristen Taylor // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 25#1. Clark County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #NR
--- Quality of life rank: #NR
--- Length of life rank: #NR
- Estimated county population: 852
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