One of the largest issues in the battle against climate change is scale. Many of the changes that need to happen to reach net zero emissions by 2050 – the transition from fossil fuels to renewables, energy efficiency improvements in buildings and industrial technology, widespread implementation of carbon capture – require broad, comprehensive legislation from the federal and state governments to implement, and cannot happen on an individual, incremental level.
Meaningful actions on climate change require a public consensus that policymakers and government communications have been unable to achieve. While most Americans agree that climate change is happening, there are large disparities in perceptions about risk, cause, and what to do about it. Beliefs differ by demographic and geography.
Twice a year, the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication conducts the most comprehensive survey on climate change knowledge and opinion in the United States. Out of 30 questions, one of the most contentious is about whether Americans trust the science behind climate change, and views towards the scientists studying the problem.
In their survey, Yale asked participants which viewpoint most closely matches their own: “Most scientists think global warming is happening,” “There is a lot of disagreement among scientists about whether or not global warming is happening,” “Most scientists think global warming is not happening, or “Don’t know enough to say.”. While nationwide 55.6% of Americans believe most scientists think global warming is happening, large regional disparities persist throughout the country.
In San Francisco County, 77.5% of residents believe most scientists think climate change is happening, the most of any county nationwide. Meanwhile, in Lawrence County in northeast Kentucky, just 29.6% of residents believe most scientists think climate change is happening, the least of any county. On average, 60.9% of residents in the Northeast believe scientists think climate change is happening, compared to 59.5% of residents in the West, 53.1% in the Midwest, and 51.8% in the South.
To determine the counties that believe scientists think climate change is happening the most, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on climate change belief from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Counties were ranked based on the percentage of surveyed residents who answered that “most scientists think global warming is happening” in 2023. Supplemental data on median household income and the percentage of adults with at least a bachelor’s degree is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and is for 2022. Data on natural hazard risk rating is from FEMA.
50. Loudoun County, VA
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 68.0%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 79.7%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 63.5%
Median household income: $170,463
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
County seat: Leesburg
49. Queens County, NY
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 68.1%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 82.4%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 34.8%
Median household income: $82,431
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively High
County seat: Queens
48. Ouray County, CO
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 68.1%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 78.7%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 49.6%
Median household income: $78,750
FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
County seat: Ouray
47. Hampshire County, MA
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 68.1%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 81.1%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 50.4%
Median household income: $84,025
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
County seat: Northampton
46. Hennepin County, MN
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 68.2%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 81.1%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 52.6%
Median household income: $92,595
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively High
County seat: Minneapolis
45. Summit County, UT
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 68.4%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 78.8%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 57.4%
Median household income: $126,392
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
County seat: Coalville
44. Chittenden County, VT
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 68.4%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 77.0%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 55.7%
Median household income: $89,494
FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
County seat: Burlington
43. Broomfield County, CO
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 68.5%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 79.7%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 58.4%
Median household income: $117,541
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
County seat: Broomfield
42. Durham County, NC
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 68.5%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 81.4%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 51.9%
Median household income: $74,927
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Moderate
County seat: Durham
41. Honolulu County, HI
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 68.7%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 81.1%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 36.6%
Median household income: $99,816
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Moderate
County seat: Honolulu
40. Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 68.8%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 81.6%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 54.2%
Median household income: $118,930
FEMA disaster risk level: N/A
County seat: N/A
39. San Juan County, WA
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 68.9%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 79.8%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 52.6%
Median household income: $76,745
FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
County seat: Friday Harbor
38. Benton County, OR
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 69.0%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 79.0%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 53.8%
Median household income: $72,882
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Moderate
County seat: Corvallis
37. Orange County, NC
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 69.2%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 80.8%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 61.7%
Median household income: $85,785
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively Low
County seat: Hillsborough
36. Clear Creek County, CO
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 69.2%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 79.6%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 55.0%
Median household income: $87,169
FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
County seat: Georgetown
35. Dukes County, MA
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 69.2%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 79.3%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 43.2%
Median household income: $93,225
FEMA disaster risk level: Very Low
County seat: Edgartown
34. Travis County, TX
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 69.3%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 83.4%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 53.8%
Median household income: $92,731
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively High
County seat: Austin
33. Marin County, CA
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 69.5%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 82.5%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 61.1%
Median household income: $142,019
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively High
County seat: San Rafael
32. Middlesex County, MA
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 69.6%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 79.6%
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 58.5%
Median household income: $121,304
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively High
County seat: Lowell
31. Fairfax County, VA
Residents who believe most scientists think climate change is happening: 69.6%
Residents who believe that global warming is happening: 79.1%
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