From a press release
Chester County has been recognized as one of the 500 healthiest counties in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in collaboration with CVS Health. Chester County ranks number 92 overall, based on 10 categories that drive community health, and is a top county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. There are more than 3,000 counties and county equivalents across America.
This accolade follows news in April of Chester County’s number-one health ranking in Pennsylvania as determined by the University of Wisconsin and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Ranking report.
Commenting on the U.S. News & World Report national health ranking, Chester County Commissioners’ Chair Marian Moskowitz said, “This additional health recognition demonstrates that Chester County is a community ahead of the curve.
“The commitment of our Health Department leadership and staff, our healthcare providers, hospitals, clinics, social service-related non-profit organizations, and our environmental stewardship and recreational resources all add up. They are partnerships that reap so many benefits for our residents, and I thank them all for their contributions,” said Commissioner Moskowitz.
Chester County also ranked in the Top 100 High Performing Urban Communities nationwide, scoring in the top 10 percent in the “Economy” category.
Chester County Commissioner Josh Maxwell noted, “We understand how important it is to review all the conditions that impact the well-being of our residents – from treatment and prevention of, and education on physical and mental health issues, to the impact of jobs, housing, schooling, transportation, and exercise.
“This ranking indicates that we’re doing many things right, and much of this is down to our community partners. We will continue to work with those partners to address the areas where we know we can improve,” added Commissioner Maxwell.
Healthiest Communities is an interactive platform developed by U.S. News & World Report, in collaboration with CVS Health. Accompanied by news, analysis and in-depth reporting, the platform features rankings drawn from an examination of nearly 3,000 counties and county equivalents on 89 health and health-related metrics in 10 categories. Population health and equity are the most highly weighted factors in the methodology, followed closely by education and economy. Data were gathered and analyzed by the University of Missouri Extension Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems (CARES).
Separate from the rankings, the site offers COVID-19 tracking tools that report case numbers, death rates, unemployment rates, vaccine data and more. These tools complement the rankings data to reveal multiple correlations between the coronavirus pandemic and community health.
“Chester County’s inclusion in this nationwide study is no coincidence,” said Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kichline.
“For years, we have focused on, and invested in the health and safety of our residents, taking into account physical, emotional, mental and environmental health needs. We were one of the first counties in the Commonwealth to fund our own health department, which, especially over the past two years, has proved to be very valuable.”
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