When looking where to move, you might check out counties based on crime rates and school districts. A new report suggests you should seriously consider health as well.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute released their 2015 County Health Rankings Wednesday, which compare improvements in premature death across 3,061 counties in all 50 states.
The ranking is based on about 30 factors, including child poverty rates, sexually transmitted infection rates, and access to parks and gyms. It's split into four main categories of health: health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic, and physical environment.
When compared, healthier counties boast higher college attendance and better access to parks and gyms, while the least healthy have higher rates of smokers and teen births.
The most important health outcome in the rankings is the rate of premature death, which is defined as dying before age 75. Fortunately, that figure has dropped significantly in recent years in 60% of counties across the nation.
Premature death is often very preventable and is affected by factors like motor vehicle-related accidents or drug poisoning, according to Bridget Catlin, co-director of the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps and one of the data's researchers.
Check out the top 10 U.S. counties where rates of premature death have improved the most:
1. District of Columbia
The nation's capital has a high rate of access to exercise opportunities.
2. Madison County, Mississippi
Madison County rates No. 1 out of the state for clinical care and for good health behaviors, such as low rates of adult smokers. Although the county matched with the nation's top 10% percent on such factors, the state itself still has almost double in premature deaths and sexually transmitted infections.
3. Pinal County, Arizona
The county has half the rate of violent crimes compared to the state as a whole.
4. Martin County, Florida
The Treasure Coast region boasts good rates in preventable hospital stays and diabetic monitoring.
5. Albemarle County, Virginia
This county, which surrounds Charlottesville, has a low rate of air pollution.
6. Imperial County, California
For example, this warm Southern Californian county has a low rate of 327 newly diagnosed chlamydia cases per each group of 100,000 residents. Compare that to the state's rate of 441.
7. Baltimore City, Maryland
This county has a low rate of medically uninsured residents.
8. Orleans Parish, Louisiana
This lively county has a low rate of physical inactivity.
9. New York County, New York
The big city has low rates of deaths caused by injury.
10. Fulton County, Georgia
Last but not least, the home of the World of Coca-Cola does well in preventable hospital stays and diabetic monitoring.