A lot of the data is over-inflated, might not be the best usage of wording though. There are bad apples, sure, just like anywhere else. Problem with data is that in more populous areas there is enough good to overshadow the bad, or at least make it look not as bad. In WV there isn't enough good to do that unfortunately. The poor far outweigh any other demographic, hence why drug use/overdoses are so high, thats a given. I would look at the actual #s though when comparing it to other areas. Plus its balanced out with other things. In more populous areas you see more shooting, murders, rapes, etc. Not a lot of that in WV.
On the education front same thing. There are schools that are small and way out in BFE. Im sure they dont enroll the most gifted of students at these schools. This drags down the higher results when testing students statewide. I also know they recently changed the type of testing they do, or something like that. I only just had a baby to education is top of mind just yet