Nationally, 72% of Americans believe global warming is happening. But when public opinion researchers zoom in on Americans, they find that attitudes and opinions about climate change can vary drastically from county to county—even when those counties are next door. Public opinion factors into how policy-makers respond to climate change, including taking steps to reduce CO2 levels and mitigate harmful impacts already being experienced. Stacker compiled a list of counties most concerned about climate change in New York using data from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Counties are ranked by the percent of residents that are worried about global warming.
Doug Kerr from Upstate New York // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 50#50. Herkimer County
- Worried about global warming: 60.5%
--- 13.1% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 61.5%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 38.8%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.2%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 57.7%
- Total population: 49,191 people
Mihai_Andritoiu // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Niagara County
- Worried about global warming: 60.8%
--- 12.8% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 63.7%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 40.0%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 28.4%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.3%
- Total population: 168,295 people
Colgate University // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 50#48. Madison County
- Worried about global warming: 61.2%
--- 12.4% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 63.3%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 40.3%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.3%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 57.7%
- Total population: 57,389 people
Benjamin D. Esham (bdesham) // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 50#47. Livingston County
- Worried about global warming: 61.4%
--- 12.2% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 63.0%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 40.0%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.5%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 55.8%
- Total population: 52,199 people
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5 / 50#46. Oneida County
- Worried about global warming: 61.6%
--- 12.0% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 61.8%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 40.9%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.1%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 55.5%
- Total population: 181,034 people
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6 / 50#45. Schoharie County
- Worried about global warming: 61.6%
--- 12.0% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 62.4%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.3%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 32.5%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 58.2%
- Total population: 25,678 people
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7 / 50#44. Chautauqua County
- Worried about global warming: 61.8%
--- 11.8% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 62.9%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.0%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.3%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.9%
- Total population: 102,176 people
Daniel Case // Wikimedia Commons
8 / 50#43. Chenango County
- Worried about global warming: 61.8%
--- 11.8% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 62.7%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 40.4%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.2%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 58.9%
- Total population: 37,957 people
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9 / 50#42. Seneca County
- Worried about global warming: 62.3%
--- 11.3% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 63.4%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 42.4%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.2%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 57.9%
- Total population: 27,510 people
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10 / 50#41. Jefferson County
- Worried about global warming: 62.5%
--- 11.1% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 64.9%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 42.7%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.3%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 61.8%
- Total population: 85,560 people
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11 / 50#40. Montgomery County
- Worried about global warming: 62.8%
--- 10.8% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 62.5%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.6%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.1%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 58.7%
- Total population: 37,996 people
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12 / 50#39. Cayuga County
- Worried about global warming: 62.8%
--- 10.8% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 64.0%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 39.8%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 29.9%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.7%
- Total population: 62,039 people
Doug Kerr // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 50#38. Delaware County
- Worried about global warming: 62.9%
--- 10.7% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 64.0%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 42.2%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 33.3%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 60.1%
- Total population: 37,306 people
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14 / 50#37. Cortland County
- Worried about global warming: 63.0%
--- 10.6% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 65.0%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 42.1%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 32.7%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.7%
- Total population: 38,698 people
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15 / 50#36. Warren County
- Worried about global warming: 63.5%
--- 10.1% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 65.7%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.3%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.7%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.8%
- Total population: 52,470 people
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16 / 50#35. Chemung County
- Worried about global warming: 63.5%
--- 10.1% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 65.8%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 40.9%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 29.7%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.5%
- Total population: 66,568 people
Lamar Gore/USFWS // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 50#34. Schuyler County
- Worried about global warming: 63.6%
--- 10.0% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 65.1%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.3%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 33.9%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 60.6%
- Total population: 14,471 people
#33. Broome County
- Worried about global warming: 63.7%
--- 9.9% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 64.1%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 42.7%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.6%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.1%
- Total population: 155,556 people
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19 / 50#32. St. Lawrence County
- Worried about global warming: 63.8%
--- 9.8% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 65.7%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 42.0%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 32.5%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 60.8%
- Total population: 86,741 people
UpstateNYer // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 50#31. Washington County
- Worried about global warming: 63.9%
--- 9.7% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 64.5%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.1%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.2%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 62.6%
- Total population: 49,881 people
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21 / 50#30. Clinton County
- Worried about global warming: 64.3%
--- 9.3% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 66.0%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.6%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.1%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.0%
- Total population: 66,055 people
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22 / 50#29. Otsego County
- Worried about global warming: 64.4%
--- 9.2% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 65.7%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 43.4%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 34.2%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 60.4%
- Total population: 50,273 people
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23 / 50#28. Yates County
- Worried about global warming: 64.6%
--- 9.0% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 63.7%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 43.3%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 35.0%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.3%
- Total population: 19,454 people
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24 / 50#27. Sullivan County
- Worried about global warming: 64.9%
--- 8.7% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 64.7%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 43.7%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 29.1%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 58.9%
- Total population: 59,173 people
Daniel Case // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 50#26. Ontario County
- Worried about global warming: 65.1%
--- 8.5% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 67.2%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.4%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 32.2%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 61.7%
- Total population: 87,191 people
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26 / 50#25. Franklin County
- Worried about global warming: 65.2%
--- 8.4% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 66.6%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 44.2%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.7%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 61.1%
- Total population: 40,415 people
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27 / 50#24. Greene County
- Worried about global warming: 65.3%
--- 8.3% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 62.8%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 40.8%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.1%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 60.0%
- Total population: 39,515 people
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28 / 50#23. Saratoga County
- Worried about global warming: 65.5%
--- 8.1% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 69.4%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.5%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 32.6%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 61.8%
- Total population: 182,012 people
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29 / 50#22. Essex County
- Worried about global warming: 65.6%
--- 8.0% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 67.0%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 43.5%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 32.9%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 62.2%
- Total population: 31,306 people
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30 / 50#21. Putnam County
- Worried about global warming: 66.5%
--- 7.1% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 68.1%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 44.2%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 34.0%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 63.6%
- Total population: 78,920 people
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31 / 50#20. Onondaga County
- Worried about global warming: 67.1%
--- 6.5% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 68.4%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 44.5%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 32.1%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 62.0%
- Total population: 363,788 people
#19. Erie County
- Worried about global warming: 67.1%
--- 6.5% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 72.8%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 45.1%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.7%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 64.5%
- Total population: 731,784 people
UpstateNYer // Wikimedia Commons
33 / 50#18. Schenectady County
- Worried about global warming: 68.0%
--- 5.6% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 69.6%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 44.8%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.6%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 60.9%
- Total population: 121,385 people
Matt H. Wade // Wikimedia Commons
34 / 50#17. Rensselaer County
- Worried about global warming: 68.2%
--- 5.4% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 69.0%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 44.0%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 32.5%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 65.3%
- Total population: 128,101 people
Mwanner // Wikimedia Commons
35 / 50#16. Orange County
- Worried about global warming: 68.3%
--- 5.3% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 69.4%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 47.7%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 33.0%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 62.3%
- Total population: 282,794 people
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36 / 50#15. Ulster County
- Worried about global warming: 69.3%
--- 4.3% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 70.9%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 46.4%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 34.0%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 65.0%
- Total population: 146,741 people
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Rockland County
- Worried about global warming: 69.3%
--- 4.3% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 70.7%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 49.9%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 34.7%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 63.9%
- Total population: 233,533 people
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38 / 50#13. Monroe County
- Worried about global warming: 69.5%
--- 4.1% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 71.1%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 44.5%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.5%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 64.1%
- Total population: 587,408 people
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39 / 50#12. Nassau County
- Worried about global warming: 70.2%
--- 3.4% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 71.1%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 51.7%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 36.9%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 63.9%
- Total population: 1,062,765 people
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40 / 50#11. Dutchess County
- Worried about global warming: 70.2%
--- 3.4% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 69.2%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 46.7%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 33.7%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 61.8%
- Total population: 237,560 people
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41 / 50#10. Columbia County
- Worried about global warming: 70.3%
--- 3.3% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 70.6%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 46.1%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 35.4%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 65.0%
- Total population: 49,719 people
Tim Hettler from New York, NY, USA // Wikimedia Commons
42 / 50#9. Suffolk County
- Worried about global warming: 70.8%
--- 2.8% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 72.8%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 48.6%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.8%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 69.0%
- Total population: 1,165,621 people
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43 / 50#8. Staten Island
- Worried about global warming: 70.9%
--- 2.7% lower than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 70.5%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 51.9%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 37.4%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 65.9%
- Total population: 370,655 people
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Albany County
- Worried about global warming: 73.9%
--- 0.3% higher than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 75.0%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 50.2%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 34.9%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 69.5%
- Total population: 250,071 people
#6. Westchester County
- Worried about global warming: 74.4%
--- 0.8% higher than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 75.0%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 52.5%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 38.5%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 69.6%
- Total population: 753,790 people
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46 / 50#5. Brooklyn
- Worried about global warming: 76.6%
--- 3.0% higher than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 73.7%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 56.1%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 33.8%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 69.9%
- Total population: 1,995,331 people
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47 / 50#4. Tompkins County
- Worried about global warming: 77.1%
--- 3.5% higher than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 76.9%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 52.9%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 42.6%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 73.1%
- Total population: 87,378 people
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48 / 50#3. Bronx
- Worried about global warming: 80.2%
--- 6.6% higher than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 74.1%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 63.4%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 29.8%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 75.1%
- Total population: 1,081,666 people
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49 / 50#2. Queens
- Worried about global warming: 80.3%
--- 6.7% higher than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 78.9%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 62.1%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 33.1%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 73.3%
- Total population: 1,825,065 people
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50 / 50#1. Manhattan
- Worried about global warming: 82.0%
--- 8.4% higher than New York average
- Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 81.1%
- Think global warming will harm them personally: 56.4%
- Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 40.4%
- Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 78.5%
- Total population: 1,397,056 people
