Where are America’s Healthiest Communities?

August 20, 2024

A dozen Pennsylvania communities were ranked among the healthiest in the country, per a new report released this month by U.S. News & World Report.

The annual rankings, released this month, provide information for residents, community health leaders and elected officials, evaluating 92 health-related metrics across the U.S. The top 500 counties out of 2,800 reviewed were ranked in the list.

“Evaluating community health is crucial as we consider the well-being of citizens across our country,” Julia Haines, U.S. News data editor, said in a statement.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Number one spot:  For the second time since 2018, Falls Church, Virginia had the top spot in the rankings.
  • The city had top-20 results across five categories (education, population health, economy, food and nutrition, and infrastructure).
• Top five:  The rest of the top five in the rankings were Los Alamos County, New Mexico; Douglas County, Colorado; Sioux County, Iowa; and Hamilton County, Indiana.
• In Pennsylvania:  Twelve Pennsylvania communities appeared on the list, including Montgomery County (66); Chester County (83); Cumberland County (124); Bucks County (188); Butler County (250); Allegheny County (321); Montour County (325); Washington County (376); Delaware County (442); Westmoreland County (476); Adams County (477); Centre County (478).
• Noteworthy:  Montour County ranked in the top five communities across the U.S. for access to care. Suffolk County, Massachusetts topped the list for this metric.
• Quotable:  “The Healthiest Communities rankings examine which communities offer the greatest opportunity to live a healthy, productive life,” Haines said.

The metrics evaluated in the report include community vitality, economy, education, environment, equity, food & nutrition, population health, housing, infrastructure and public safety.

A breakdown of key measures for Pennsylvania communities can be found here. Additional information about the rankings is available online.