Health Profile of Jefferson County, West Virginia
Jefferson 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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B
Jefferson County Around averageAmong the top 3 healthiest counties in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Jefferson County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.9 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 6.0% | 6.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 16.9% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Jefferson County is 77.9 years, about 1.8 years longer than the West Virginia average of 76.1 years. The uninsured rate is about the same as in West Virginia, at 6.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 16.9% of residents, lower than the West Virginia average of 23.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
22,249 residents in Jefferson County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 871 253 men · 618 women
- 75–84 2,573 1,252 men · 1,321 women
- 65–74 5,709 2,748 men · 2,960 women
- 50–64 13,096 6,550 men · 6,546 women
Younger residents
12,016 residents in Jefferson County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 3,853 1,982 boys · 1,871 girls
- 7–12 3,615 1,811 boys · 1,805 girls
- 3–7 2,689 1,339 boys · 1,349 girls
- 0–3 1,860 958 boys · 902 girls
About 2,509 residents in Jefferson County (4.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 77.9 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Jefferson County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 11.2% | 14.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.2% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.6% | 9.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 35.7% | 40.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Jefferson County is about 29% lower than in West Virginia. The rate of diabetes in Jefferson County is about 23% lower than in West Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Jefferson County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 19.5% | 25.3% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 13.4% | 11.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 26.4% | 31.8% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Jefferson County is about 23% lower than in West Virginia. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Jefferson County is about 17% lower than in West Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 91,096 cigarettes a day, 2.7 million a month, or 33.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.0 million minutes a day and 365.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Jefferson County is 77.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 8.93 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 | Jefferson County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.47 | 6.17 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.5 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Jefferson County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Jefferson County, WV Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Jefferson County, WV is the 4th largest of the 5 counties compared here, 59,260 residents against a local median of 142,610. Jefferson County, WV sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is uninsured, 6% above the local median at 6.0% against 5.6%. Jefferson County, WV has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, WV | 59,260 | 77.9 yrs #3/5 | 6.0% #4/5 | 35.7% #3/5 |
| Berkeley County, WV | 129,514 | 76.4 yrs | 5.9% | 39.3% |
| Clarke County, VA | 15,216 | 80.1 yrs | 5.3% | 33.5% |
| Washington County, MD | 155,706 | 76.1 yrs | 6.3% | 37.0% |
| Loudoun County, VA | 432,991 | 81.9 yrs | 5.4% | 29.0% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Jefferson County, West Virginia has an overall health index grade of B, making it notably better than West Virginia, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Jefferson County, West Virginia.
How healthy is Jefferson County, West Virginia?
Jefferson County, West Virginia has a Map AI Health Index grade of B, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a B grade means residents are somewhat healthier than the U.S. average.
Is Jefferson County, West Virginia one of the healthiest counties in West Virginia?
Jefferson County ranks 2nd 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.
What is the average lifespan in Jefferson County, West Virginia?
People in Jefferson County, West Virginia can expect to live 77.9 years on average, 1.8 years longer than the West Virginia average of 76.1.
How many people lack health insurance in Jefferson County, West Virginia?
6.0% of residents in Jefferson County, West Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 17 people, about the same as the West Virginia rate of 6.0%.
What percentage of Jefferson County, West Virginia residents are obese?
35.7% of adults in Jefferson County, West Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 4.6 points below the West Virginia rate of 40.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Jefferson County, West Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 91,096 cigarettes a day, 2.7 million a month, or 33.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.0 million minutes a day and 365.7 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Jefferson County is 77.9 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.02 lifetimes a day, or 8.93 lifetimes a year.
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