Here Are The 10 Unhealthiest Counties In Washington
By Jessica Wick|Published March 05, 2018
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Jessica Wick
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Jessica Wick is a writer and travel enthusiast who loves exploring new places, meeting new people and, of course, beautiful Big Sky Country and every part of Washington State.
Good news, Washingtonians: Statistically, we’re one of the healthiest states. That being said, some of our cities rank higher than others. According to data from 2017 based on statistics on things like obesity levels and smoking rates, these are currently our 10 unhealthiest counties (note: data for Garfield County was unavailable). Where does your county rank?
Stevens County (home to Colville, Kettle Falls and Chewelah) comes in at number 9. The county has a high premature death rate (scoring 5th from the bottom) , a 31% obesity rate and a high rate of physical inactivity (over 20% of adults).
Despite its location on the Long Beach Peninsula, many Pacific County residents (a full 25%) report being completely physically inactive. 27% of their auto accident deaths are alcohol-related, and 32% of adults are obese.
The county of the Palm Springs of Washington has a high premature death rate for its size (ranked 30/38 counties), and 30% of its adult residents are obese. 24% of adults are physically inactive.
Okanagan County ranks 5th on the list due to 20% of its residents being in poor health and 18% admitting to excessive drinking (almost half of fatal auto accidents here are alcohol-related).
Grays Harbor County includes cities like Aberdeen, Montesano, Oakville and Ocean Shores. They're ranked 35 out of 38 counties for length of life (yikes), and 37% of adults are obese.
This tiny county is located in Southwest Washington. It scored the lowest rating for length of life, with 22% of its residents admitting to complete physical inactivity.
Republic is a charming town, but sadly, it's not the healthiest place. 31% of adults are obese, with over half reporting not having access to adequate exercise opportunities.
Pend Oreille County includes Newport, Metaline Falls and Ione. 17% of its residents are in poor health, 29% are obese, and a whopping 66% report not having access to adequate exercise opportunities.
If your county is listed, don’t worry — a lot of factors go into determining these statistics, and we all know every county has healthy and unhealthy people. All you can do is take care of yourself and encourage your neighbors to do the same. If you do need to make some lifestyle changes, these hiking trails are all less than 3 miles in length, so they’re perfect for beginners.
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