‘Study on ‘Healthiest Communities’ Lists Three Pennsylvania Counties in Top 100′

The Healthiest Places to Live in Pennsylvania and the US

Recent research highlights the healthiest communities in the US, featuring three Pennsylvania counties among the top 100.

Methodology of Determining the Healthiest Communities in the US

The research, conducted by MarketWatch, assessed 576 US counties using 14 health indicators. These include information on food security, healthcare accessibility, life expectancy, health insurance coverage, and environmental factors such as water and air quality.

The resulting report reveals that wealthier areas tend to be healthier due to lower food insecurity rates and greater access to affordable health insurance coverage.

The Impact of Local Amenities on Community Health

In contrast, less healthy counties often have limited accessibility to grocery stores and primary healthcare facilities, resulting in higher food insecurity rates.

The presence of nature parks within a county also contributed positively to community health, a phenomenon supported by scientific research. Healthier counties also have a higher proportion of high-income earners.

The Healthiest and Unhealthiest US Counties

According to the research, Marin County, California, emerged as the healthiest US county due to its high life expectancy, low adult obesity rates, and minimal uninsured population.

Conversely, Harris County, Texas was identified as the least healthy county, with over 20% of its population uninsured and poor environmental conditions.

Pennsylvania County Rankings in the US Healthiest Communities Study

Not all counties in Pennsylvania made the list, but here is the full ranking of the state’s counties in the US healthiest communities study, along with their individual scores out of 100:

• No. 57: Montgomery County
• No. 84: Centre County
• No. 98: Cumberland County
• No. 106: Delaware County
• No. 138: Bucks County
• No. 146: Lackawanna County
• No. 148: Chester County
• No. 173: Northampton County
• No. 203: York County
• No. 207: Erie County
• No. 215: Westmoreland County
• No. 218: Allegheny County (81.5)
• No. 244: Cambria County (80.5)
• No. 251: Dauphin County (80.2)
• No. 252: Franklin County (80.2)
• No. 269: Lehigh County (79.7)
• No. 279: Blair County (79.6)
• No. 281: Lycoming County (79.5)
• No. 282: Mercer County (79.5)
• No. 286: Adams County (79.3)
• No. 290: Washington County (79.1)
• No. 293: Berks County (79.0)
• No. 315: Armstrong County (78.3)
• No. 325: Lebanon County (77.7)
• No. 343: Philadelphia County (77.1)
• No. 347: Indiana County (76.9)
• No. 348: Somerset County (76.9)
• No. 359: Lancaster County (76.6)
• No. 390: Monroe County (75.8)
• No. 425: Beaver County (74.6)
• No. 427: Lawrence County (74.6)
• No. 450: Fayette County (73.4)

The entire study can be accessed here.