Montgomery County Ranks the Richest, but Fifth in Health

It was just last year that then-Commissioner James Matthews reminded the county that it was the richest in the state.

He said Montgomery County, Pa. was 16th “among the large counties in the U.S. and first among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties,” according to the 2011 article on Patch.

Matthews quoted the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis, which set the average county income at $63,469, making it the richest county in Pennsylvania.

Though it is the richest, Montgomery County ranks fifth in overall health of its residents. According to the website CountyHealthRatings.org, which aims to create a "healthier nation, county by county" by posting each state's ratings, Montgomery places fifth out of 67.

In 2012, the site marks Montgomery County as declining slightly in premature deaths. The nation has 5,466 declared premature deaths while the state of Pennsylvania averages 7,284 at this time. Montgomery County overall is closer in line with the national averages, clocking in with 5,333 in 2012.

Of perhaps greater concern is the county's morbidity, or the frequency of particular diseases. County Health Ratings paticularly tracks the number of poor physical health days, poor mental health days and the percent of low birthweights in the county to rank its morbidity.

Montgomery County has higher than national benchmark rates for all three categories, marking 2012 figures at 2.9 average poor physical health days (comparted to national benchmark of 2.6), 3.1 poor mental health days (versus 2.3 nationally) and charts 7.2 percent of all babies at low birthweights, (compared to 6 percent nationally).

These lower than average morbidity rates placed Montgomery County at fifth, under 1. Union, 2. Chester, 3. Juniata and 4. Centre counties in Pennsylvania.

For the full health report, visit CountyHealthRankings.org. The county's Department of Health aims to assist the county's residents to make all able to live a more healthy lifestyle. You can see a full list of the county's programs for doing so on its website.