Breathing in West Virginia is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 1.8 million people across 55 districts in West Virginia. The average PM2.5 level is 8.6 µg/m³—1.7× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in West Virginia

West Virginia faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.8 million across 55 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 8.6µg/m³. That's 1.7 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 143 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If West Virginia met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.35 years longer.

That's 632K years of life stolen from 1.8 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in West Virginia. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Brooke
    0.5 years lost
  • 2.Monongalia
    0.5 years lost
  • 3.Ohio
    0.4 years lost
  • 4.Hancock
    0.4 years lost
  • 5.Marshall
    0.4 years lost
  • 6.Wood
    0.4 years lost
  • 7.Marion
    0.4 years lost
  • 8.Wetzel
    0.4 years lost
  • 9.Tyler
    0.4 years lost
  • 10.Pleasants
    0.4 years lost
Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³
0%
0
5-10 µg/m³
100%
1.8M
10-15 µg/m³
0%
0
15-25 µg/m³
0%
0
25-35 µg/m³
0%
0
> 35 µg/m³
0%
0
Districts

All 55 Districts in West Virginia

Complete air quality data for every district in West Virginia, sorted by population.

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Kanawha206K
8.2
0.3 years
Berkeley119K
8.9
0.4 years
Monongalia112K
9.8
0.5 years
Cabell109K
8.4
0.3 years
Wood88K
9.3
0.4 years
Raleigh80K
8.2
0.3 years
Harrison71K
8.9
0.4 years
Mercer60K
8.1
0.3 years
Putnam56K
8.3
0.3 years
Marion56K
9.3
0.4 years
Jefferson53K
8.8
0.4 years
Ohio49K
9.6
0.4 years
Fayette37K
7.9
0.3 years
Wayne37K
8.1
0.3 years
Logan33K
7.9
0.3 years
Greenbrier32K
7.9
0.3 years
Marshall31K
9.4
0.4 years
Preston30K
8.8
0.4 years
Randolph29K
8.2
0.3 years
Hancock28K
9.6
0.4 years
Mineral28K
8.4
0.3 years
Jackson26K
8.7
0.4 years
Nicholas24K
7.7
0.3 years
Upshur24K
8.1
0.3 years
Mason24K
8.7
0.4 years
Brooke23K
9.8
0.5 years
Mingo21K
7.9
0.3 years
Wyoming21K
7.8
0.3 years
Boone20K
7.7
0.3 years
Hampshire19K
8.3
0.3 years
McDowell19K
7.8
0.3 years
Lincoln18K
7.8
0.3 years
Lewis17K
8.2
0.3 years
Morgan15K
8.4
0.3 years
Barbour14K
8.3
0.3 years
Hardy14K
8.0
0.3 years
Taylor14K
8.7
0.4 years
Wetzel14K
9.2
0.4 years
Roane13K
8.1
0.3 years
Braxton12K
7.8
0.3 years
Summers11K
7.8
0.3 years
Monroe10K
7.7
0.3 years
Grant10K
8.0
0.3 years
Ritchie8K
8.5
0.3 years
Pleasants8K
9.0
0.4 years
Webster7K
7.8
0.3 years
Tyler7K
9.0
0.4 years
Gilmer7K
7.9
0.3 years
Pocahontas7K
7.7
0.3 years
Clay7K
7.7
0.3 years
Tucker6K
8.1
0.3 years
Doddridge6K
8.5
0.3 years
Calhoun5K
8.0
0.3 years
Pendleton5K
8.2
0.3 years
Wirt4K
8.6
0.4 years

Showing 55 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.