Study: Arlington Is Virginia’s Second Healthiest County

Arlington is ranked as Virginia’s second healthiest county, according to a new study by the University of Wisconsin.

The county ranked right behind Loudoun County when it came to overall health of residents, and scored third best (behind Fairfax and Falls Church) for lacking environmental and behavioral issues that affect residents’ health.

Arlington’s rate of premature deaths is about half the state average and part of a downwards trend of premature deaths — a trend the county has followed since 1997.

The project’s report on Virginia noted that statewide, the healthiest counties experienced an average of 3,400 premature deaths per 100,000 residents, versus 18,600 premature deaths in the counties ranked least healthy. The report also noted that seven percent of babies born in healthiest counties were low-weight, compared to 12 percent in the least healthy counties.

The study is part of a project mapping the health of residents in all U.S. counties, called the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, which ranked counties using the following data:

• Lifespan (measured against life expectancy of 75 years)
• Quality of life (measured by people self-reporting)
• Percentage of babies born with a low birth weight

The study’s health factors measured variables known to affect people’s wellbeing, like air and water quality, length of commutes, prevalence of addictions, and access to housing, healthcare and employment.

The study was done by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Photo via County Health Rankings & Roadmaps