VA Has 4 Of The 30 Healthiest Counties In The U.S., Study Says

VIRGINIA — A new list of the healthiest communities in the United States has four Virginia counties in the top 30.

The study, published by MarketWatch, uses 14 metrics as indicators of county health — including data on food insecurity, healthcare access, life expectancy, health insurance coverage, and water and air quality. MarketWatch ranked 576 U.S. counties by giving each a rating out of 100, based on their performance across those metrics.

Arlington County came in at No. 4 on the list, with Fairfax County also appearing within the top 20.

Overall, the study authors found that the healthiest counties are generally richer areas, with lower rates of food insecurity and more people having reliable, affordable access to health insurance coverage.

Residents in the unhealthiest counties have fewer grocery stores accessible and are more likely to experience food insecurity, while also having more limited access to primary care, the study authors said.

"Many of the top healthiest counties have nature parks, backing up scientific studies that suggest the positive effects green space and exercise opportunities have on our health," MarketWatch wrote. "The healthiest counties are also full of high-income earners."

This was certainly true for the Virginia counties that made the top 20, as both Arlington and Fairfax counties have a median income greater than $100,000.

Based on their analysis, Arlington, Virginia, was the healthiest county with a life expectancy of 85, a lower-than-average adult obesity rate, and only 4 percent of people without insurance.

Harris County, Texas was listed as the unhealthiest county in the analysis: More than 20 percent of the population there is uninsured, and because the county "has the most toxic chemical releases and the sixth-worst median air quality of any county in the U.S.," authors said.

In total, the U.S. has more than 3,000 counties.

Here is the full list of how Virginia ranked among 576 counties, in the study of healthiest and unhealthiest in the U.S., as well as each county's score out of 100:

• No. 4: Arlington County (98.1)
• No. 18: Fairfax County (93.0)
• No. 27: Albemarle County (91.9)
• No. 28: Loudoun County (91.7)
• No. 33: Roanoke County (90.7)
• No. 69: Henrico County (88.2)
• No. 78: Hanover County (87.6)
• No. 139: Fauquier County (84.6)
• No. 170: Roanoke city (83.1)
• No. 177: Chesterfield County (82.8)
• No. 236: Prince William County (80.8)
• No. 241: Frederick County (80.7)
• No. 319: Rockingham County (78.1)

The full study is available here.