Smile big if you live in Douglas County, Colorado! Your community has been ranked second nationwide as the healthiest community in America, according to the 2020 Healthiest Communities rankings by U.S. News and World Report, released in collaboration with the Aetna Foundation.
Los Alamos, New Mexico ranked No. 1. Colorado performed exceptionally well in the 2020 Healthiest Communities rankings, with 17 counties in the top 100 and six in the top 10.
The third annual Healthiest Communities report and accompanying analysis is based on a methodology evaluating nearly 3,000 counties and county-equivalents nationwide across 84 health-related metrics in 10 categories: community vitality, equity, economy, education, environment, food & nutrition, population health, housing, infrastructure, and public safety, assessing which communities offer their citizens the greatest opportunity to live a productive, healthy life.
The 2020 Healthiest Communities rankings are also accompanied by new tools tracking COVID-19. Due to the unknown longevity of the pandemic, specific COVID-19 data is not included in the Healthiest Communities analysis and rankings. However, the rankings include data relevant to the pandemic, such as the county-level prevalence of obesity and diabetes – two comorbidities that place patients at a higher risk.
The rankings explore how communities across the U.S. are working to improve the health of their residents. The platform informs citizens, health care leaders, and elected officials about the local policies and practices that drive better health outcomes for all.
“The notoriety of this achievement is a tribute to the residents of Douglas County, as well as the leadership in our business community, cities, towns, and special districts,” said Lora Thomas, Douglas County Commissioner, and Board Vice-Chair.
Additionally, in 2020, Douglas County ranks No. 1 in Colorado for overall health outcomes for the fifth consecutive year, according to the 2020 “County Health Rankings” report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.