Health Profile of Braxton County, West Virginia
Braxton 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
Braxton County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Braxton County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.9 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 8.5% | 6.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 25.5% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Braxton County is 76.9 years, about 0.8 years longer than the West Virginia average of 76.1 years. The uninsured rate is 8.5%, higher than the West Virginia average of 6.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 25.5% of residents, higher than the West Virginia average of 23.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
5,368 residents in Braxton County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 306 106 men · 200 women
- 75–84 836 424 men · 412 women
- 65–74 1,536 728 men · 808 women
- 50–64 2,691 1,386 men · 1,305 women
Younger residents
2,260 residents in Braxton County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 727 379 boys · 349 girls
- 7–12 684 349 boys · 335 girls
- 3–7 495 251 boys · 244 girls
- 0–3 354 186 boys · 168 girls
About 957 residents in Braxton County (7.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.9 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Braxton County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 15.8% | 14.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.4% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 10.1% | 9.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 39.9% | 40.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Braxton County are about the same as in West Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Braxton County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 27.4% | 25.3% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 11.3% | 11.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 33.6% | 31.8% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Braxton County are about the same as in West Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 27,265 cigarettes a day, 817,962 a month, or 10.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 299,920 minutes a day and 109.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Braxton County is 76.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.71 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 | Braxton County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.78 | 6.17 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.8 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Braxton County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Braxton County, WV Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Braxton County, WV is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 12,208 residents against a local median of 8,144. Braxton County, WV's uninsured, at 8.5%, runs 31% above the 6.5% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.2% on uninsured, so Braxton County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Braxton County, WV has the 5th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braxton County, WV | 12,208 | 76.9 yrs #2/6 | 8.5% #5/6 | 39.9% #4/6 |
| Gilmer County, WV | 7,288 | 77.2 yrs | 6.7% | 38.1% |
| Webster County, WV | 8,144 | 76.0 yrs | 5.8% | 42.6% |
| Lewis County, WV | 16,740 | 74.3 yrs | 6.5% | 38.9% |
| Nicholas County, WV | 24,277 | 74.0 yrs | 5.8% | 38.8% |
| Calhoun County, WV | 6,048 | 74.4 yrs | 9.0% | 41.6% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Braxton County, West Virginia has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat better than West Virginia, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Braxton County, West Virginia.
Is Braxton County, West Virginia a healthy place to live?
Braxton County, West 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 Braxton County, West Virginia one of the healthiest counties in West Virginia?
Braxton County ranks 36th healthiest out of 55 counties in West Virginia by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
How long do people live in Braxton County, West Virginia?
People in Braxton County, West Virginia can expect to live 76.9 years on average, 0.8 years longer than the West Virginia average of 76.1.
What is the uninsured rate in Braxton County, West Virginia?
8.5% of residents in Braxton County, West Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 12 people, 2.5 points above the West Virginia rate of 6.0%.
What percentage of Braxton County, West Virginia residents are obese?
39.9% of adults in Braxton County, West Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, about the same as the West Virginia rate of 40.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Braxton County, West Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 27,265 cigarettes a day, 817,962 a month, or 10.0 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 299,920 minutes a day and 109.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Braxton County is 76.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 2.71 lifetimes a year.
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