Morris Co. Ranked Among America's Healthiest Communities

Morris County ranks among the healthiest in the United States, according to an analysis released by U.S. News & World Report on Monday. The rankings, compiled in collaboration with the Aetna Foundation, present a list of the 500 healthiest American communities.

U.S. News evaluated 3,000 communities across 10 categories to determine the rankings. The categories include: population health; equity; education; economy; housing; food and nutrition; environment; public safety; community vitality; and infrastructure.

Morris County was named the healthiest New Jersey county, and the 29th healthiest county nationwide.

"Research has shown that in the United States, your ZIP code is a greater predictor of your life expectancy than your genetic code," Mark T. Bertolini, chairman of the Aetna Foundation and chairman and CEO of Aetna, said in a press release. "In other words, where you live has a significant impact on your overall health."

This is the second time in recent weeks Morris County has been recognized for being healthy. The county was previously named healthiest in New Jersey according to a new study released by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute in partnership with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Ten of New Jersey's 21 counties were among the 500 healthiest nationwide. They are:

• 29. Morris County
• 34. Hunterdon County
• 53. Somerset County
• 73. Sussex County
• 134. Burlington County
• 153. Bergen County
• 245. Monmouth County
• 367. Gloucester County
• 385. Middlesex County
• 399. Warren County

The top 10 healthiest communities in the U.S. are:

1. Falls Church City, Virginia
2. Douglas County, Colorado
3. Broomfield County, Colorado
4. Los Alamos County, New Mexico
5. Dukes County, Massachusetts
6. Fairfax City, Virginia
7. Hamilton County, Indiana
8. Routt County, Colorado
9. Ouray County, Colorado
10. Loudoun County, Virginia

U.S. News collaborated with the University of Missouri Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems (CARES) to collect and analyze data.

Data was collected from sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (Read the full methodology here)

With reporting by Kara Seymour, Patch National Staff

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