PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Four western Pennsylvania counties have been named among the healthiest counties in the nation, according to new rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.
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.
More than 3,140 counties across the nation were ranked, with Allegheny coming in at 321st.
Eleven other Pennsylvania counties made the top 500. The rankings are as follows:
133. Cumberland County
197. Bucks County
259. Butler County
321. Allegheny County
334. Montour County
385. Washington County
451. Delaware County
485. Westmoreland County
486. Adams County
487. Centre County
Here are the top 10 healthiest places in the country:
Falls Church, Virginia; Los Alamos County, California; Douglas County, Colorado; Sioux City, Iowa; Hamilton County, Indiana; Dallas County, Iowa; Ozaukee County, Wisconsin; Carver County, Minnesota; Bremer County, Iowa; Morgan County, Utah
“Measuring 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 reveal that even the healthiest communities struggle in certain areas.” 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.
