Chester County Ranked Healthiest County In Pennsylvania

CHESTER COUNTY, PA -- Despite recent studies showing the area suffers from high rates of drug overdoses and fatal asbestos poisoning, Chester County has been ranked as the state's healthiest county, new research shows.

The study put together by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute measures the health of nearly every country across America.

Researchers took data from a wide variety of national and local sources and ranked them with statistical-informed weight. The following categories were considered:

1. Overall Health Outcomes
2. Health Outcomes – Length of life
3. Health Outcomes – Quality of life
4. Overall Health Factors
5. Health Factors – Health behaviors
6. Health Factors – Clinical care
7. Health Factors – Social and economic factors
8. Health Factors – Physical environment

Chester County led the state in overall health outcomes and health behaviors, showing a comparatively very low rate of premature death, smoking, obesity, and drug use.

The high rate and quality of education in the county also helped its placement, as it scored fourth overall in the social and economic factors category.

The county placed poorly in the physical environment category, ranking 36th, indicating air pollution and drinking water violations.

Nearby, Montgomery County ranked third overall, Bucks County sixth, Delaware County 35th, and Philadelphia last in 67th.

Learn more about the data sources for this study here.

Image of Pennsylvania premature death rate courtesy Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.