Congratulations, Douglas County! You are again among the healthiest in the country, according to the just-released 2022 Healthiest Communities rankings by U.S. News and World Report.
This year, Douglas County ranked No. 3. Douglas County also ranked near the top of this annual list in 2021 and in the No. 1 slot 2019. Broomfield County in Colorado also made the list this year (9).
Now in its fifth year, the Healthiest Communities report and accompanying analysis explore 10 categories that drive community health and rank them on a scale from zero to 100. Categories included population health, equity, education, economy, housing, food & nutrition, environment, public safety, community vitality and infrastructure. The project scored nearly 3,000 counties on 89 indicators in these 10 categories.
This year, the rankings again assessed data related to the pandemic, including the prevalence of obesity and diabetes – two comorbidities that can increase risk of illness from COVID-19. The analysis also examined the vulnerability of racial and ethnic groups to negative impacts from natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and heat waves and the reasons behind such disparities.
The project serves as a tool to inform residents, community health leaders and elected officials about policies and best practices for better health outcomes by assessing which communities offer their citizens the greatest opportunity to live a productive, healthy life.
CVS Health invested in this project as part of a five-year $100 million Building Healthier Communities initiative.
For more information on Healthiest Communities explore Facebook and Twitter using #HealthiestCommunities, or visit these web pages: