WISCONSIN — Twenty-seven of the healthiest areas in America are in Wisconsin, including one in the top 10, according to new rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.
Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, ranked seventh overall.
U.S. News said the 2024 Healthiest Communities rankings, now in their sixth year, measure how well counties are serving their residents and are intended to serve as a blueprint for residents, local health leaders and elected officials to develop policies and best practices for better health outcomes.
According to U.S. News, the analysis took into account more than 90 indicators and hundreds of thousands of data points across 10 major categories: community vitality, economy, education, environment, equity, food and nutrition, population health, housing, infrastructure and public safety. The report also includes an overall ranking of America's healthiest communities.
Of the more than 3,140 counties ranked, here are the Wisconsin counties that made it into the top 500:
Here are the top 10 healthiest places in the country:
Falls Church, Virginia; Los Alamos County, New Mexico; Douglas County, Colorado; Sioux City, Iowa; Hamilton County, Indiana; Dallas County, Iowa; Ozaukee County, Wisconsin; Carver County, Minnesota; Bremer County, Iowa; Morgan County, Utah
Overall, Wisconsin counties are as follows:
Ozaukee County, WI – 7th place Waukesha County, WI – 23rd place Washington County, WI – 46th place Croix County, Wisconsin – 65th placeIowa County, Wisconsin – 79th placeCalumet County, Wisconsin – 89th placeDane County, Wisconsin – 97th placeOutagamie County, Wisconsin – 120th placeGreene County, Wisconsin – 132nd placePortage County, Wisconsin – 194th placeJefferson County, Wisconsin – 196th placeEau Claire County, Wisconsin – 238th placePierce County, Wisconsin – 245th placeDoor County, Wisconsin – 262th placeLa Crosse County, Wisconsin – 268th placeColumbia County, Wisconsin – 316th placeChippewa County, Wisconsin – 357th placeFond du Lac County, Wisconsin – 374th placeMarathon County, Wisconsin – 383rd placeSauk County, Wisconsin – #391 Trempareaux County, Wisconsin – #404 Wood County, Wisconsin – #406 Brown County, Wisconsin – #417 Walworth County, Wisconsin – #419 Grant County, Wisconsin – #429 Lafayette County, Wisconsin – #437 Winnebago County, Wisconsin – #453
“Assessing the health of communities is a critical part of considering the well-being of citizens across the country,” U.S. News data editor Julia Haynes said in a news release. “The Healthiest Communities rankings examine which communities offer the most opportunities for people to live healthy, productive lives. They also highlight the times when even the most 'healthy' communities struggle in certain areas.”
To compile the rankings and create the comprehensive Healthiest Communities project, U.S. News partnered with the University of Missouri-Extension Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems, a research organization skilled in community health assessments.
Overall, the rankings are based on metrics from sources including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Census Bureau and the Environmental Protection Agency.
