America's Healthiest Communities

Environmental & Science Education
STEM
Health
Edward Hessler

STAT's Morning Rounds, edited by Shradha Chakradher, calls attention to this year's list of the 500 healthiest communities from U. S. News & World Report and the Aetna Foundation. Chakradher takes a closer look at the rankings:

• The design: Population health experts looked at data from nearly 2,900 counties across the U.S. and ranked them based on 80 metrics that assessed community health, such as education, nutrition, and air and water quality.
• The findings: Iowa was the most represented state, with 62 counties on the list. Counties in Utah have the lowest smoking rates across the country — under 9 percent — and the life expectancy in Hawaii counties is the highest in the nation, at an average of 81 years.
• The takeaway: “The Healthiest Communities rankings continue to provide the insights that are essential to identify key issues and support community organizations, leaders and residents who are tackling the unique social determinants of health that impact their respective neighborhoods,” Larry Merlo, CEO of CVS Health, which owns Aetna, said in a statement.