Health Profile of McDowell County, West Virginia
McDowell 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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F
McDowell County Well below averageLeast healthy county in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | McDowell County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.6 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 8.8% | 6.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 35.2% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in McDowell County is 75.6 years, about 0.5 years shorter than the West Virginia average of 76.1 years. The uninsured rate is 8.8%, higher than the West Virginia average of 6.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 35.2% of residents, higher than the West Virginia average of 23.2%.
Population by Age
Older residents
7,649 residents in McDowell County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 363 91 men · 273 women
- 75–84 1,049 484 men · 565 women
- 65–74 2,149 1,041 men · 1,108 women
- 50–64 4,088 1,968 men · 2,120 women
Younger residents
3,340 residents in McDowell County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 1,022 531 boys · 492 girls
- 7–12 995 526 boys · 469 girls
- 3–7 769 391 boys · 378 girls
- 0–3 555 281 boys · 274 girls
About 1,336 residents in McDowell County (7.4% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | McDowell County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 20.2% | 14.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.3% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 12.0% | 9.2% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 48.3% | 40.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in McDowell County is about 39% higher than in West Virginia. The rate of heart disease in McDowell County is about 31% higher than in West Virginia. The rate of obesity in McDowell County is about 20% higher than in West Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | McDowell County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 35.3% | 25.3% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 10.3% | 11.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 43.5% | 31.8% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in McDowell County is about 40% higher than in West Virginia. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in McDowell County is about 37% higher than in West Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 51,810 cigarettes a day, 1.6 million a month, or 18.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 569,908 minutes a day and 208.0 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in McDowell County is 75.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 5.23 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 | McDowell County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.82 | 6.17 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.8 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in McDowell County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
McDowell County, WV Health Compared With Nearby Counties
McDowell County, WV is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 17,943 residents against a local median of 31,458. McDowell County, WV's uninsured, at 8.8%, runs 80% above the 4.9% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Obesity tells the same story from another angle: 48.3% against a local median of 40.0%, 21% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: McDowell County, WV reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 3.0% on uninsured, so McDowell County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. McDowell County, WV has the 6th lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDowell County, WV | 17,943 | 75.6 yrs #2/6 | 8.8% #6/6 | 48.3% #6/6 |
| Wyoming County, WV | 20,629 | 72.7 yrs | 7.0% | 42.6% |
| Tazewell County, VA | 39,616 | 73.3 yrs | 4.1% | 39.7% |
| Buchanan County, VA | 19,415 | 74.2 yrs | 4.8% | 40.0% |
| Logan County, WV | 31,458 | 75.8 yrs | 6.5% | 46.8% |
| Mercer County, WV | 58,563 | 73.5 yrs | 4.9% | 38.0% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, McDowell County, West Virginia has an overall health index grade of F, making it somewhat worse than West Virginia, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in McDowell County, West Virginia.
What is the health grade for McDowell County, West Virginia?
McDowell County, West Virginia has a Map AI Health Index grade of F, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; an F grade means residents face significantly worse health outcomes than the U.S. average.
Is McDowell County, West Virginia one of the healthiest counties in West Virginia?
No. McDowell County ranks last 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 McDowell County, West Virginia?
People in McDowell County, West Virginia can expect to live 75.6 years on average, 0.5 years shorter than the West Virginia average of 76.1.
What is the uninsured rate in McDowell County, West Virginia?
8.8% of residents in McDowell County, West Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 11 people, 2.8 points above the West Virginia rate of 6.0%.
What is the obesity rate in McDowell County, West Virginia?
48.3% of adults in McDowell County, West Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 8.0 points above the West Virginia rate of 40.3%.
Which health problem stands out most in McDowell County, West Virginia?
Compared with West Virginia as a whole, smoking stands out most: the adult rate here is 35.3%, about 40% higher than the West Virginia rate of 25.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in McDowell County, West Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 51,810 cigarettes a day, 1.6 million a month, or 18.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 569,908 minutes a day and 208.0 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in McDowell County is 75.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.01 lifetimes a day, or 5.23 lifetimes a year.
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