Health Profile of Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston 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
Charleston Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Charleston | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 74.3 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 4.1% | 6.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 22.1% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Charleston is 74.3 years, about 1.9 years shorter than the West Virginia average of 76.1 years. The uninsured rate is 4.1%, lower than the West Virginia average of 6.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 22.1% of residents, lower than the West Virginia average of 23.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
16,921 residents in Charleston are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,092 394 men · 698 women
- 75–84 2,492 1,062 men · 1,430 women
- 65–74 4,602 2,087 men · 2,514 women
- 50–64 8,735 4,074 men · 4,661 women
Younger residents
7,325 residents in Charleston are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 2,424 1,308 boys · 1,116 girls
- 7–12 2,057 1,097 boys · 960 girls
- 3–7 1,619 831 boys · 788 girls
- 0–3 1,226 627 boys · 599 girls
About 3,878 residents in Charleston (9.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 74.3 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Charleston | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 15.3% | 14.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.9% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.6% | 9.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 39.5% | 40.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Charleston are about the same as in West Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Charleston | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 22.8% | 25.3% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 10.6% | 11.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 32.4% | 31.8% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Charleston are about the same as in West Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 77,948 cigarettes a day, 2.3 million a month, or 28.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 857,431 minutes a day and 313.0 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Charleston is 74.3 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 8.02 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 | Charleston | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.86 | 6.17 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.9 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Charleston is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Charleston, 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 Charleston, West Virginia.
Is Charleston, West Virginia a healthy place to live?
Charleston, 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.
How long do people live in Charleston, West Virginia?
People in Charleston, West Virginia can expect to live 74.3 years on average, 1.9 years shorter than the West Virginia average of 76.1.
How many people lack health insurance in Charleston, West Virginia?
4.1% of residents in Charleston, West Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 25 people, 1.9 points below the West Virginia rate of 6.0%.
What percentage of Charleston, West Virginia residents are obese?
39.5% of adults in Charleston, West Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 0.8 points below the West Virginia rate of 40.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Charleston, West Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 77,948 cigarettes a day, 2.3 million a month, or 28.5 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 857,431 minutes a day and 313.0 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Charleston is 74.3 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 8.02 lifetimes a year.
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