Seniors in these West Virginia counties have the highest Alzheimer's rates
Seniors in these West Virginia counties have the highest Alzheimer's rates
An estimated 38,100 people in West Virginia over age 65 have Alzheimer's, according to estimates released by the Alzheimer's Association in 2023.
Alzheimer's disease afflicts an estimated 6.7 million Americans, and that number is only growing. Medical professionals believe the volume of diagnoses could double by 2060 if there isn't a breakthrough in prevention—or a cure.
For the first time, the Alzheimer's Association released estimates on Alzheimer's prevalence in each state and county. Researchers hope these figures will help regional public health officials better treat Alzheimer's patients, develop localized care plans, and budget for care—particularly as new treatments come at a cost.
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and is among the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. These deaths are increasing as fatality rates from other health-related causes, including heart disease and stroke, are on the decline. With Alzheimer's, the brain shrinks, brain cells die, and peoples' memory and language centers fail. As the disease advances, the loss of brain function leads to dehydration, malnutrition, infection, and ultimately death.
Developing a cure or effective treatment has been slow, as medical professionals still don't know what causes Alzheimer's. But earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration fully greenlit the first drug proven to effectively treat the disease: lecanemab (sold under the brand name Leqembi), created by Eisai Inc. and Biogen. Earlier treatments only addressed symptoms of Alzheimer's, while lecanemab treats the early stages of the disease itself and slows its progression.
The drug costs $26,500 annually and is partially covered by Medicare if a patient's medical team participates in a registry to track the drug's outcomes. Those high costs could keep the treatment out of reach for low-income Americans, who already have higher odds of developing Alzheimer's, studies have shown.
Nearly all Alzheimer's patients are on government insurance, and estimates show that Medicare could spend $2 billion to $5 billion annually on lecanemab and related care. That pales in comparison to the $345 billion that Alzheimer's and other dementias cost in 2023, including nursing home stays, symptom management medications, and other care for those with the disease. Without medical advancements, the Alzheimer's Association expects those costs could rise to nearly $1 trillion by 2050.
If lecanemab and similar drugs can slow progression in even half of mild Alzheimer's patients, one study from the University of Chicago estimates Americans would save $212 billion to over $1 trillion in care-related costs over the next decade.
Having a treatment to slow the progression of Alzheimer's also creates more urgency to diagnose the disease sooner to retain more brain function. Warning signs for the disease include disruptive memory loss, difficulty with familiar tasks, worsening judgment, and changes in mood and personality.
The U.S. has a shortage of specialists in elder and memory-related medicine and nurses providing care at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. In regions with high rates of Alzheimer's, these shortages could be catastrophic within the current models of care.
Stacker mapped states by the share of the population over age 65 that is estimated to have Alzheimer's disease, using data released by the Alzheimer's Association in July 2023. As a part of the national analysis, Stacker also took a closer look at West Virginia and ranked the counties within it by their estimated Alzheimer's prevalence.
Alzheimer's rates by state
State and detailed county-level estimates show vast disparities in the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease based on racial and socioeconomic factors. Older Americans, women, Black and Hispanic Americans, and those with lower education levels are at higher risk for developing Alzheimer's dementia, according to data from the Chicago Health and Aging Project, on which these estimates were based.
The East and Southeast regions of the U.S. were estimated to have the highest prevalence of Alzheimer's, particularly Maryland, New York, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana. In Maryland, nearly 30% of residents are Black, and a slightly higher share of the population is 85 and older compared to national numbers—substantial risk factors that earn it the #1 spot.
In addition to a high prevalence of the disease, Mississippi has the highest Alzheimer's mortality rate, largely due to having the worst-quality health care system in the country, Time reported.
Some of the most afflicted counties are home to Black and Hispanic populations in the South, low-income populations in Appalachia, and older adults in Florida, according to Time. Other studies have found that people in rural areas tend to be underdiagnosed or diagnosed in later stages of dementia, delaying or preventing potential treatments.
Read on to see where in West Virginia has the highest prevalence of Alzheimer's, ranked by the share of the 65 and over population estimated to have the disease. Initial ties were broken by the number of people estimated to have Alzheimer's, but some ties may remain.
#54. Mingo County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.1%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#54. Wyoming County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.1%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#53. Wirt County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.3%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 100 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#52. Boone County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.4%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#51. Berkeley County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.4%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 1,800 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 100 people—of the estimate.
#50. Lincoln County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.5%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#49. Logan County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.5%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 700 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#48. Preston County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.6%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 700 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#46. Hardy County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.7%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 300 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points of the estimate.
#46. Lewis County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.7%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 300 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#45. Morgan County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.7%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#44. Hampshire County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.7%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 500 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#43. Nicholas County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.7%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 600 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#42. Jefferson County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.7%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 1,000 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#41. Pleasants County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.8%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 100 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#38. Calhoun County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.8%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 200 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#38. Clay County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.8%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 200 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#38. Webster County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.8%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 200 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#37. Roane County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.8%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 300 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points of the estimate.
#36. Putnam County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.8%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 1,100 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#35. Mineral County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.9%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 600 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points of the estimate.
#34. Marshall County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.9%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 700 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#33. Monongalia County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 9.9%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 1,400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 100 people—of the estimate.
#32. Doddridge County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.0%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 200 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points of the estimate.
#31. Braxton County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.0%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 300 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#30. Pocahontas County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.1%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 200 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points of the estimate.
#29. Taylor County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.1%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#28. Upshur County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.1%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 500 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#27. Tyler County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.2%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 200 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#26. Monroe County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.2%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 300 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#25. Barbour County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.2%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#24. Wood County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.2%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 1,800 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 100 people—of the estimate.
#22. Ritchie County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.3%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 200 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#22. Tucker County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.3%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 200 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points of the estimate.
#20. Jackson County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.3%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 600 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#20. Mason County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.3%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 600 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points of the estimate.
#18. Greenbrier County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.3%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 900 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#18. Wayne County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.3%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 900 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points of the estimate.
#17. Brooke County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.4%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 600 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#16. Randolph County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.4%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 700 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#15. Fayette County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.4%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 1,000 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#14. Summers County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.5%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#13. Marion County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.5%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 1,200 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#12. Raleigh County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.5%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 1,700 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.5 percentage points—or 100 people—of the estimate.
#11. Kanawha County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.5%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 4,000 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 200 people—of the estimate.
#9. Harrison County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.6%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 1,400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#9. Mercer County (tie)
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.6%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 1,400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 100 people—of the estimate.
#8. Grant County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.7%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 300 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points of the estimate.
#7. Wetzel County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.7%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points of the estimate.
#6. McDowell County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.8%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 400 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points of the estimate.
#5. Hancock County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.8%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 700 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#4. Cabell County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 10.8%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 1,900 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 100 people—of the estimate.
#3. Gilmer County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 11.3%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 200 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points of the estimate.
#2. Ohio County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 11.3%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 1,100 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points—or 50 people—of the estimate.
#1. Pendleton County
- Share of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 11.5%
- Number of 65+ population with Alzheimer's: 200 people
*These are estimates; actual values have a 95% likelihood of being within 0.6 percentage points of the estimate.
This story features data reporting by and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
