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According to a recent study by U.S. News & World Report, two Ohio counties are among the 50 healthiest counties in the country.
Call it the flip side of the unhealthiest counties in the Buckeye State.
To create the 2024 Healthiest Communities rankings, U.S. News rated each county on ten areas that positively impact community health, including housing, economy and public safety.
Here’s a look at the rankings.
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Delaware and Union County in Ohio are among the 50 healthiest in the country
According to the publication, Delaware County north of Columbus ranked 12th and Union County west of Delaware ranked 50th.
Delaware, which dropped two spots from 10th place in 2022, received an overall score of 87 out of 100, according to U.S. News. The study found that 4.4% of the population did not have health insurance, which is below the national average of 11.5%; an obesity prevalence of 35.8%, which is below the national average of 37.4%; and a diabetes prevalence of 8.3%, which is below the national average of 10.6%.
Union County, which rose 15 places from 65th in 2022, received an overall score of 80 from US News. The study found a smoking rate of 15% (state average: 19%), a life expectancy of 78.9 years (state average: 75.8 years), and an obesity prevalence of 35.5% (37.4%).
Medina County (south of Cuyahoga County and west of Summit County) ranked 70th overall with a score of 78.
Warren County in southwest Ohio near Cincinnati also landed in the top 100 at number 74, also with a score of 78.
The 10 healthiest counties in the USA
- City of Falls Church, Virginia
- Los Alamos County, New Mexico
- Douglas County, Colorado
- Sioux County, Iowa
- Hamilton County, Indiana
- Dallas County, Iowa
- Ozuakee County, Wisconsin
- Carver County, Minnesota
- Bremer County, Iowa
- Morgan County, Utah
How the rankings were determined
The rankings show how nearly 3,000 U.S. counties and county equivalents fare on 92 metrics across 10 health and health-related categories, according to U.S. News. These include:
- Public health
- Equity capital
- Training
- Business
- Housing
- Food and nutrition
- Environment
- Public Safety
- Community vitality
- Infrastructure
For the study, US News partnered with the University of Missouri Extension Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems (CARES). Data was collected from “recognized and validated sources,” including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Census Bureau, Medicare & Medicaid and the EPA.
