Health Profile of Kanawha County, West Virginia
Kanawha 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
Kanawha County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Kanawha County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.0 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 4.9% | 6.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 21.5% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Kanawha County is 75.0 years, about 1.1 years shorter than the West Virginia average of 76.1 years. The uninsured rate is 4.9%, lower than the West Virginia average of 6.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 21.5% of residents, lower than the West Virginia average of 23.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
74,136 residents in Kanawha County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 4,559 1,495 men · 3,064 women
- 75–84 11,106 4,778 men · 6,328 women
- 65–74 21,188 9,755 men · 11,433 women
- 50–64 37,282 17,505 men · 19,777 women
Younger residents
33,626 residents in Kanawha County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 10,529 5,693 boys · 4,835 girls
- 7–12 10,072 5,216 boys · 4,856 girls
- 3–7 7,568 3,751 boys · 3,817 girls
- 0–3 5,458 2,747 boys · 2,710 girls
About 15,617 residents in Kanawha County (8.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Kanawha County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 14.6% | 14.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.1% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 8.8% | 9.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 38.6% | 40.3% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Kanawha County are about the same as in West Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Kanawha County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 23.7% | 25.3% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 11.1% | 11.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 32.3% | 31.8% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Kanawha County are about the same as in West Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 335,471 cigarettes a day, 10.1 million a month, or 122.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 3.7 million minutes a day and 1.3 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Kanawha County is 75.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.09 lifetimes a day, or 34 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 | Kanawha County | 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 Kanawha County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Kanawha County, WV Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Kanawha County, WV is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 176,529 residents against a local median of 21,027. The measure that sets Kanawha County, WV apart most is uninsured: 4.9%, 17% below the local median of 5.8%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.3% on uninsured, so Kanawha County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Kanawha County, WV has the 2nd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanawha County, WV | 176,529 | 75.0 yrs #4/6 | 4.9% #2/6 | 38.6% #3/6 |
| Boone County, WV | 21,027 | 74.5 yrs | 4.6% | 45.9% |
| Putnam County, WV | 57,177 | 77.8 yrs | 5.6% | 37.5% |
| Roane County, WV | 13,786 | 75.0 yrs | 7.9% | 45.1% |
| Clay County, WV | 7,835 | 76.0 yrs | 5.8% | 40.8% |
| Jackson County, WV | 27,705 | 78.0 yrs | 6.2% | 36.9% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Kanawha 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 Kanawha County, West Virginia.
What is the health grade for Kanawha County, West Virginia?
Kanawha 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 Kanawha County, West Virginia one of the healthiest counties in West Virginia?
Kanawha County ranks 23rd 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 Kanawha County, West Virginia?
People in Kanawha County, West Virginia can expect to live 75.0 years on average, 1.1 years shorter than the West Virginia average of 76.1.
How many people lack health insurance in Kanawha County, West Virginia?
4.9% of residents in Kanawha County, West Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 21 people, 1.1 points below the West Virginia rate of 6.0%.
What percentage of Kanawha County, West Virginia residents are obese?
38.6% of adults in Kanawha County, West Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.7 points below the West Virginia rate of 40.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Kanawha County, West Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 335,471 cigarettes a day, 10.1 million a month, or 122.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 3.7 million minutes a day and 1.3 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Kanawha County is 75.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.09 lifetimes a day, or 34 lifetimes a year.
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