Community health rankings find major disparities based on location, economy
New data published Monday found major geographic disparities in community health, across 10 health-related categories like food and nutrition, environment, equity, and public safety. County rankings, compiled by U.S. News & World Report, compared nearly 3,000 counties to determine how community health is affected by factors like housing and the local economy.
"Population health" was an important component in the rankings, factoring in access to health care and prevalence of health conditions. Counties in Minnesota, California, Iowa, and Colorado were top-ranked in population health, while counties in Missouri, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, and Florida were lowest.
Meanwhile, many counties near Silicon Valley ranked poorly in equity, defined as income and social equality across demographic groups. Colorado dominated the top of the environmental rankings, while New York and California counties scored poorly in housing availability. Counties in Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico, and Massachusetts were ranked highest overall.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The scores, between 0 and 100, showed that community health varies greatly based on location. But across the board, Americans are worried about access to health care. A Gallup poll published Monday shows that the availability and affordability of health care troubles 55 percent of Americans "a great deal," while 23 percent of those polled say it worries them "a fair amount." Only 23 percent say the issue concerns them "only a little" or "not at all." Other issues of concern to the Americans polled included "crime and violence" and "the economy," but Gallup reports that this is the fifth year in a row that health care has been the number one concern.
See the full rankings at U.S. News & World Report.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
'Voters know Biden and Trump all too well'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Is the Gaza war tearing US university campuses apart?
Today's Big Question Protests at Columbia University, other institutions, pit free speech against student safety
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
DOJ settles with Nassar victims for $138M
Speed Read The settlement includes 139 sexual abuse victims of the former USA Gymnastics doctor
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published