Health Profile of Harrison County, West Virginia
Harrison 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
Harrison County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Harrison County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 74.6 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.5% | 6.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 21.0% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Harrison County is 74.6 years, about 1.6 years shorter than the West Virginia average of 76.1 years. The uninsured rate is 7.5%, higher than the West Virginia average of 6.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 21.0% of residents, lower than the West Virginia average of 23.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
26,036 residents in Harrison County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,565 566 men · 999 women
- 75–84 3,914 1,670 men · 2,244 women
- 65–74 7,047 3,252 men · 3,796 women
- 50–64 13,510 6,669 men · 6,841 women
Younger residents
13,083 residents in Harrison County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 4,213 2,076 boys · 2,136 girls
- 7–12 3,914 1,965 boys · 1,950 girls
- 3–7 2,859 1,480 boys · 1,379 girls
- 0–3 2,097 1,076 boys · 1,021 girls
About 5,754 residents in Harrison County (8.9% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 74.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Harrison County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 14.2% | 14.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.1% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.6% | 9.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 39.7% | 40.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Harrison County are about the same as in West Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Harrison County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 23.2% | 25.3% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 12.2% | 11.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 29.0% | 31.8% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Harrison County are about the same as in West Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 118,935 cigarettes a day, 3.6 million a month, or 43.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.3 million minutes a day and 477.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Harrison County is 74.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 12 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 | Harrison County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.26 | 6.17 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.3 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Harrison County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Harrison County, WV Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Harrison County, WV is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 64,984 residents against a local median of 16,487. The measure that sets Harrison County, WV apart most is uninsured: 7.5%, 16% above the local median of 6.5%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 1.6% on uninsured, so Harrison County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Harrison County, WV has the 6th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison County, WV | 64,984 | 74.6 yrs #4/6 | 7.5% #6/6 | 39.7% #3/6 |
| Marion County, WV | 55,899 | 76.4 yrs | 6.7% | 40.7% |
| Lewis County, WV | 16,740 | 74.3 yrs | 6.5% | 38.9% |
| Doddridge County, WV | 7,711 | 80.1 yrs | 5.5% | 40.2% |
| Taylor County, WV | 16,487 | 76.2 yrs | 5.1% | 42.4% |
| Barbour County, WV | 15,424 | 73.9 yrs | 6.5% | 37.9% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Harrison 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 Harrison County, West Virginia.
How healthy is Harrison County, West Virginia?
Harrison 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 Harrison County, West Virginia one of the healthiest counties in West Virginia?
Harrison County ranks 19th 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 Harrison County, West Virginia?
People in Harrison County, West Virginia can expect to live 74.6 years on average, 1.6 years shorter than the West Virginia average of 76.1.
What is the uninsured rate in Harrison County, West Virginia?
7.5% of residents in Harrison County, West Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 13 people, 1.5 points above the West Virginia rate of 6.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Harrison County, West Virginia?
39.7% of adults in Harrison County, West Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 0.6 points below the West Virginia rate of 40.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Harrison County, West Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 118,935 cigarettes a day, 3.6 million a month, or 43.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.3 million minutes a day and 477.5 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Harrison County is 74.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.03 lifetimes a day, or 12 lifetimes a year.
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