
Counties with the longest life expectancy in West Virginia
Life expectancy in the United States has generally been on the rise, with rare exceptions for certain segments of the population. Between 1960 and 2019, the life expectancy of Americans rose by roughly a decade to the age of 79. Greater longevity can be attributed to improved health care such as diagnostic and medical advancements, as well as shifting lifestyle choices including healthier diets and a reduction in rates of smoking and alcohol consumption.
While no one single factor determines the overall health of an entire community, certain socioeconomic and environmental factors such as access to health care, clean air, clean water, and affordable housing, contribute significantly to the general health and wellbeing of the entire population.
Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified counties with the longest life expectancy in West Virginia. Life expectancy measures the average number of years from birth a person can expect to live, and is calculated based on the number of deaths in a given time period and the average number of people at risk of dying during that period. Counties with unreliable or insufficient data were excluded from the analysis. Mortality data came from the National Vital Statistics System.
#38. Webster County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #43
--- Length of life rank: #37
--- Quality of life rank: #50
#36. Greenbrier County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #30
--- Length of life rank: #34
--- Quality of life rank: #25
#36. Hancock County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #24
--- Length of life rank: #30
--- Quality of life rank: #15
#34. Wood County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #25
--- Length of life rank: #29
--- Quality of life rank: #20
#34. Ohio County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #11
--- Length of life rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #4
#33. Nicholas County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #36
--- Length of life rank: #35
--- Quality of life rank: #40
#32. Berkeley County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #8
--- Length of life rank: #26
--- Quality of life rank: #6
#31. Barbour County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #23
--- Length of life rank: #27
--- Quality of life rank: #21
#28. Hampshire County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #35
--- Length of life rank: #38
--- Quality of life rank: #29
#28. Wetzel County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #28
--- Length of life rank: #23
--- Quality of life rank: #33
#28. Harrison County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #21
--- Length of life rank: #25
--- Quality of life rank: #14
#27. Pocahontas County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #33
--- Length of life rank: #40
--- Quality of life rank: #9
#23. Hardy County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #31
--- Length of life rank: #28
--- Quality of life rank: #31
#23. Morgan County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #27
--- Length of life rank: #32
--- Quality of life rank: #19
#23. Tucker County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #14
--- Length of life rank: #21
--- Quality of life rank: #11
#23. Mineral County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #10
--- Length of life rank: #16
--- Quality of life rank: #10
#22. Marion County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #19
--- Length of life rank: #13
--- Quality of life rank: #28
#21. Marshall County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #16
--- Length of life rank: #20
--- Quality of life rank: #16
#20. Brooke County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #6
--- Length of life rank: #8
--- Quality of life rank: #8
#19. Taylor County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #29
--- Length of life rank: #14
--- Quality of life rank: #38
#18. Jackson County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #12
--- Length of life rank: #12
--- Quality of life rank: #12
#16. Ritchie County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #22
--- Length of life rank: #22
--- Quality of life rank: #27
#16. Putnam County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #4
--- Length of life rank: #9
--- Quality of life rank: #2
#15. Braxton County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #34
--- Length of life rank: #24
--- Quality of life rank: #42
#13. Preston County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #17
--- Length of life rank: #15
--- Quality of life rank: #24
#13. Randolph County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #15
--- Length of life rank: #11
--- Quality of life rank: #22
#10. Wirt County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #38
--- Length of life rank: #31
--- Quality of life rank: #43
#10. Calhoun County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #32
--- Length of life rank: #6
--- Quality of life rank: #48
#10. Monroe County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #9
--- Length of life rank: #7
--- Quality of life rank: #13
#8. Grant County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #26
--- Length of life rank: #18
--- Quality of life rank: #32
#8. Pleasants County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #3
--- Length of life rank: #2
--- Quality of life rank: #5
#7. Pendleton County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #20
--- Length of life rank: #19
--- Quality of life rank: #26
#6. Gilmer County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #5
--- Length of life rank: #4
--- Quality of life rank: #7
#5. Tyler County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #18
--- Length of life rank: #17
--- Quality of life rank: #23
#4. Jefferson County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #2
--- Length of life rank: #5
--- Quality of life rank: #1
#3. Upshur County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #7
--- Length of life rank: #3
--- Quality of life rank: #17
#2. Monongalia County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #1
--- Length of life rank: #1
--- Quality of life rank: #3
#1. Doddridge County
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #13
--- Length of life rank: #10
--- Quality of life rank: #18