America’s 25 healthiest communities, per US News

By Erica Carbajal for Becker’s Hospital Review

A New Mexico county for the third consecutive year took the top spot in U.S. News & World Report and CVS Health’s 2022 “Healthiest Communities Rankings.” This marks the fifth annual edition of the rankings.

The rankings are based on an analysis of nearly 3,000 U.S. communities. Communities are scored on 89 indicators across 10 categories that drive community health: population health, equity, education, economy, housing, food and nutrition, environment, crime, community stability and infrastructure. Population health and equity are the most heavily weighted categories. The top 500 communities made the list. To read more about the methodology, click here.

Twenty-five healthiest communities: 

1. Los Alamos County, N.M.
2. Falls Church, Va.
3. Douglas County, Colo.
4. Morgan County, Utah
5. Carver County, Minn.
6. Sioux County, Iowa
7. Ozaukee County, Wis.
8. Hamilton County, Ind.
9. Broomfield County, Colo.
10. Delaware County, Ohio
11. Dallas County, Iowa
12. Loudoun County, Va.
13. Arlington County, Va.
14. Union County, S.D.
15. Teton County, Wyo.
16. Morris County, N.J.
17. Fairfax County, Va.
18. Howard County, Md.
19. Williamson County, Tenn.
20. Johnson County, Kan.
21. Lincoln County, S.D.
22. Waukesha County, Wis.
23. Dodge County, Minn.
24. Hamilton County, Neb.
25. Washington County, Minn.

Two notes about the rankings:

1. The top three counties in this year’s rankings have each taken the number one spot in previous editions, according to a CVS news release.
2. This year’s edition incorporates new data on natural disasters in the environment category to reflect the growing threat of climate change.