The United States lags behind many other wealthy, highly developed countries in key public health indicators. According to a report published by the World Obesity Federation, a London-based non-profit advocacy group, the adult obesity rate in the U.S. was nearly 43% in 2022, higher than in all but a handful of high-income countries, and more than double the obesity rate in France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and across Scandinavia. Additionally, 2023 data from the World Bank shows that average life expectancy at birth in the U.S. is just 78.4 years, well below the 80-plus-year average in places like Canada, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
Explanations for America’s lagging health indicators are complex and linked to a number of social, economic, and systemic factors. Insufficient investment in health care, however, is not one of them. At $12,434 in 2022, the United States spends more per capita on health than any other country in the world. But despite unparalleled spending, the United States does not have a universal health care system, making treatment or regular preventative care unaffordable for millions of uninsured Americans. Other commonly cited factors, often interconnected with individual economic circumstances and lifestyle choices, include poverty, poor diets, limited physical activity, violence, and drug abuse.
Although public health challenges are widespread and deeply entrenched in America, some parts of the country stand out for exceptionally strong health outcomes.
Using data from County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 24/7 Wall St. identified the healthiest counties in America. Counties and county equivalents are ranked on an index of four health outcome measures: years of potential life lost before age 75 for every 100,000 people, average number of mentally unhealthy days per month, average number of physically unhealthy days per month, and the share of adults who report being in fair or poor health. All supplemental data on smoking rates, uninsured rates, physical inactivity, income, and population size are also from CHR.
These are the healthiest counties in America.
Why It Matters
The United States spends more per capita on health care than any other country in the world. Still, Americans tend to live shorter, less healthy lives than those in most other wealthy, highly-developed countries. While the United States lags behind other similar countries in key outcome measures, some American communities at the local level stand out for having exceptionally healthy populations, as reflected in both objective and self-reported indicators.
10. Falls Church City, Virginia
- Avg. life expectancy at birth: 78.3 years (top 25% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of mentally unhealthy days in past month: 4.4 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of physically unhealthy days in past month: 2.8 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of adults who are in fair or poor health: 9.7% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adult smoking rate: 7.3% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of residents with no health insurance: 4.5% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adults not exercising regularly: 13.6% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Median household income: $145,755 ($64,151 more than national median)
- Population: 14,685
9. Morris County, New Jersey
- Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.7 years (top 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of mentally unhealthy days in past month: 4.3 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of physically unhealthy days in past month: 3.1 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of adults who are in fair or poor health: 11.0% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adult smoking rate: 8.9% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of residents with no health insurance: 6.2% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adults not exercising regularly: 16.7% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Median household income: $134,308 ($52,704 more than national median)
- Population: 514,423
8. Douglas County, Colorado
- Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.4 years (top 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of mentally unhealthy days in past month: 4.5 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of physically unhealthy days in past month: 2.9 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of adults who are in fair or poor health: 9.8% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adult smoking rate: 8.1% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of residents with no health insurance: 4.6% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adults not exercising regularly: 11.8% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Median household income: $144,807 ($63,203 more than national median)
- Population: 383,906
7. Somerset County, New Jersey
- Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.8 years (top 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of mentally unhealthy days in past month: 4.2 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of physically unhealthy days in past month: 2.9 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of adults who are in fair or poor health: 11.9% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adult smoking rate: 9.2% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of residents with no health insurance: 6.2% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adults not exercising regularly: 17.9% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Median household income: $140,242 ($58,638 more than national median)
- Population: 348,842
6. Johnson County, Kansas
- Avg. life expectancy at birth: 80.6 years (top 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of mentally unhealthy days in past month: 4.4 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of physically unhealthy days in past month: 2.9 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of adults who are in fair or poor health: 10.1% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adult smoking rate: 9.6% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of residents with no health insurance: 7.0% (bottom 25% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adults not exercising regularly: 16.9% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Median household income: $103,085 ($21,481 more than national median)
- Population: 622,237
5. Los Alamos County, New Mexico
- Avg. life expectancy at birth: 83.0 years (top 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of mentally unhealthy days in past month: 4.6 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of physically unhealthy days in past month: 2.9 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of adults who are in fair or poor health: 8.8% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adult smoking rate: 7.8% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of residents with no health insurance: 2.5% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adults not exercising regularly: 11.9% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Median household income: $146,208 ($64,604 more than national median)
- Population: 19,444
4. Washington County, Minnesota
- Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.3 years (top 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of mentally unhealthy days in past month: 4.4 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of physically unhealthy days in past month: 2.9 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of adults who are in fair or poor health: 9.3% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adult smoking rate: 9.1% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of residents with no health insurance: 4.6% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adults not exercising regularly: 14.6% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Median household income: $111,118 ($29,514 more than national median)
- Population: 278,936
3. Dallas County, Iowa
- Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.9 years (top 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of mentally unhealthy days in past month: 4.2 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of physically unhealthy days in past month: 2.8 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of adults who are in fair or poor health: 10.9% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adult smoking rate: 10.9% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of residents with no health insurance: 4.5% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adults not exercising regularly: 18.0% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Median household income: $102,189 ($20,585 more than national median)
- Population: 111,092
2. Carver County, Minnesota
- Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.3 years (top 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of mentally unhealthy days in past month: 3.9 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of physically unhealthy days in past month: 2.9 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of adults who are in fair or poor health: 10.9% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adult smoking rate: 11.0% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of residents with no health insurance: 3.8% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adults not exercising regularly: 16.7% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Median household income: $129,437 ($47,833 more than national median)
- Population: 111,057
1. Lincoln County, South Dakota
- Avg. life expectancy at birth: 83.8 years (top 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of mentally unhealthy days in past month: 3.5 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Avg. number of physically unhealthy days in past month: 2.8 days (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of adults who are in fair or poor health: 9.8% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adult smoking rate: 10.1% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Share of residents with no health insurance: 7.5% (bottom 25% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Adults not exercising regularly: 17.1% (bottom 10% of 3,159 counties with available data)
- Median household income: $102,130 ($20,526 more than national median)
- Population: 73,238
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