Somerset County Among The Healthiest Communities In America: U.S. News

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — Somerset County is among the healthiest communities in America, according to a new ranking released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

Somerset County ranked as the 47th healthiest community in America and fourth healthiest in New Jersey.

Morris County ranked the highest in NJ and came in 16th in America. The least healthy county in NJ was Gloucester County, which came in at 371st in America. To see the full list of how other counties ranked in NJ click here.

U.S. News said the sixth annual 2024 Healthiest Communities ranking measures how well counties serve their residents and is intended as a blueprint for residents, community health leaders and elected officials to develop policies and best practices for better health outcomes.

The analysis considers more than 90 metrics and hundreds of thousands of data points across 10 main categories: community vitality, economy, education, environment, equity, food and nutrition, population health, housing, infrastructure and public safety, U.S. News said. The report also includes an overall ranking of America’s Healthiest Communities.

To compile the rankings and create the overall Healthiest Communities project, U.S. News partnered with the University of Missouri Extension Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems, a research institution skilled in community health assessment.

Overall, the rankings are based on metrics drawn from sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Census Bureau and the Environmental Protection Agency.

— With reporting by Michelle Rotuno-Johnson

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.