Colorado is known for being one of the healthiest states in the country, which we can credit with our constant need to be on the move paired with access to some of the best outdoor recreation in America! While the Centennial State is healthy overall, some places still stand out as being healthier than the rest, including these 10 counties:
Once again, U.S. News and World Report has issued their annual Healthiest Counties Ranking, which explores the top 500 Healthiest Communities nationwide.
As per U.S. News and World Report - which scored 10 categories on a scale of zero to 100 - the reason for the study was to "measure crucial health-related components of society with the aim of empowering citizens, health care leaders and officials to make decisions about policies and practices that can improve health outcomes for all," via numerous criteria.
According to U.S. News and World Report's findings, 5 Colorado counties made it into the Top 10, including Douglas County (the #2 spot with a population health of 90, pictured), Broomfield County (#5 with a population health of 86.4), San Miguel County (#6 with a population health of 82.6), Pitkin County (#7 with a population health of 90.9), and Routt Country (#10 with a population health of 86.3).
In addition to these Top 10 picks, several other Colorado counties also made the cut, with the highest being Elbert County (#24 with a population health of 75.5), Teller County (#25 with a population health of 67.3), Chaffee County (#34 with a population health of 73), Boulder County (#36 with a population health of 85.2), and Gilpin County (#37 with a population health of 80.4, pictured).
What plays into the overall rankings? In addition to the population health, the study also factors in other things like equity, education, economy, community vitality, and housing.
