The Best Counties to Live In

Boulder County, which includes the city of Boulder, is one of several counties in Colorado to rank among the best places to live. One of the healthiest counties in the United States, life expectancy at birth in Boulder is 83 years — about four years longer than the national average. The area’s high life expectancy is due in part to healthy lifestyles, as adults in Boulder are far less likely to smoke and more likely to exercise than the typical American adult.

Across broad populations, health behaviors and outcomes tend to improve with educational attainment, and in Boulder, 62.1% of the adult population have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 32.1% of adults nationwide.

Delaware County, located just north of Columbus, the state capital, is the only county in Ohio to rank among the 50 best places to live. This is due in large part to widespread financial stability. Only 4.8% of the local population live below the poverty line, less than half the 13.4% national poverty rate. Additionally, most local households earn over $106,000 a year.

The area’s high incomes and low poverty are partially attributable to a strong job market. Just 4.1% of workers in the county were unemployed as of January 2021, compared to the 6.8% national unemployment rate the same month.

Many of the best counties to live in are located in close proximity to a major city. Somerset County, New Jersey, located within commuting distance of Manhattan, is one of them. New Jersey is one of the wealthiest states in the country because of affluent areas like Somerset County. Most area households earn over $113,600 a year, far more than the national median income of $62,843. Additionally, county residents are less than half as likely to live in poverty as the typical American.

Both for individuals and across broad populations, income tends to rise with educational attainment. In Somerset County, 54.7% of the 25 and older population have a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to 32.1% of adults nationwide.

Morris County, New Jersey, is one several counties to rank among the 50 best places to live that are either in or within commuting distance of New York City. With a well-educated population — 54.1% of local adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher — and access to perhaps the most concentrated job market in the United States, Morris County is an affluent area with little poverty. Most households earn over $115,500 a year, and just 4.8% of the population live below the poverty line. Nationwide, the typical household makes $62,843 annually, and 13.4% of the population live below the poverty line.

Higher-income Americans are better able to afford medical care and a wider range of healthy options related to diet and lifestyle, and as a result, typically report better health outcomes. In Morris County, life expectancy at birth is 82.6 years, well above the 79.1 year national average.

Johnson County, Kansas, located just outside of Kansas City, is the only county in the state to rank among the 50 best places to live. One reason the county ranks on this list is the area’s low poverty rate. The local poverty rate of 5.4% is less than half the comparable 13.4% national poverty rate.

Poverty can have far reaching health consequences, and areas with low poverty typically have better than average health outcomes. In Johnson County, life expectancy at birth is 82 years — about three years above the national average.