Adults with Frequent Mental Distress vs. Bachelor’s Degree or Higher by County
Counties with higher Bachelor’s Degree or Higher tend to have lower Adults with Frequent Mental Distress.
Strong link: a correlation of −0.65 across 2,916 counties.CorrelationHow closely two metrics move together, from −1 to +1. Near +1: both rise together. Near −1: one rises as the other falls. Near 0: no clear link.More in the glossary →
Each dot in the chart is one of 2,916 counties. The correlation between Bachelor’s Degree or Higher and Adults with Frequent Mental Distress is -0.65, a strong relationship: about 42% of the differences in Adults with Frequent Mental Distress from place to place line up with Bachelor’s Degree or Higher. Ranked instead of measured, the link is -0.68.
The highest Adults with Frequent Mental Distress is in Mingo County, WV (26.6%), McDowell County, WV (26.0%) and Hancock County, TN (25.7%); the lowest is in Fairfax County, VA (12.7%), Montgomery County, MD (12.8%) and Aleutians East Borough, AK (13.0%). The median place has 18.6% for Adults with Frequent Mental Distress and 22.4% for Bachelor’s Degree or Higher.
The biggest exceptions sit furthest from the trend line. Mingo County, WV, Logan County, WV and Summers County, WV have a much higher Adults with Frequent Mental Distress than their Bachelor’s Degree or Higher would predict, while Aleutians West Census Area, AK, Aleutians East Borough, AK and Colfax County, NE have a much lower one.
This is a comparison across places, not proof that one causes the other: both can follow from something else, such as income, age or how urban a place is. Bachelor’s Degree or Higher is from 2024 and Adults with Frequent Mental Distress from 2023.
Highest Adults with Frequent Mental Distress
| Place | Adults with Frequent Mental Distress | Bachelor’s Degree or Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Mingo County, WV | 26.6% | 9.53% |
| McDowell County, WV | 26.0% | 6.77% |
| Hancock County, TN | 25.7% | 10.8% |
| Calhoun County, WV | 25.7% | 10.1% |
| Logan County, WV | 25.4% | 14.7% |
Lowest Adults with Frequent Mental Distress
| Place | Adults with Frequent Mental Distress | Bachelor’s Degree or Higher |
|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County, VA | 12.7% | 65.0% |
| Montgomery County, MD | 12.8% | 60.6% |
| Aleutians East Borough, AK | 13.0% | 18.3% |
| Aleutians West Census Area, AK | 13.0% | 17.9% |
| Falls Church city, VA | 13.0% | 80.5% |
Explore it yourself
- Open this comparison in the interactive chart to highlight places, change the metrics or colour by party.
- Full ranking and sources for Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
- Full ranking and sources for Adults with Frequent Mental Distress