Dakota County Makes List of 50 Healthiest Counties for Kids

(This was written by Micheal Foley)

U.S. News and World Report has released a list of America's top 50 healthiest counties for kids, and Dakota County registered No. 41 with a score of 82.8 on a 100-point scale.

The overall score is a composite that takes into account the following statistics:

• Low birthweight (under 5.5 lbs)
• Infant death rate (per 100,000)
• Teen birth rate (per 1,000)
• Children in poverty
• Injury death rate (ages 1-19)

Dakota County registered the following:

• 6.2% - Low birthweight (under 5.5 lbs)
• 350.2 - Infant death rate (per 100,000)
• 18.6 - Teen birth rate (per 1,000)
• 9.2% - Children in poverty
• 8.1 - Injury death rate (ages 1-19) (per 100,000)

The top spot on the list went to California's Marin County with a score of 100.

SEE THE FULL U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT LIST