DELAWARE – For the fifth year in a row, central Ohio’s fastest-growing and richest county is also its healthiest.
Delaware County was ranked No. 1 in the state for health factors and health outcomes in the rankings, released Tuesday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
“This ranking once again reflects the priority our residents have placed on improving the factors that affect their health. It also solidifies how important it is to sustain the services and programs that are currently helping residents stay healthy,” said Shelia Hiddleson, commissioner of the Delaware General Health District.
Central Ohio county health rankings
Delaware……………..1
Union…………………7
Fairfield………….12/16
Licking……………25/19
Madison…………41/36
Franklin……….48/38
Pickaway……….40
-Source: Robt. Wood Johnson Foundation/Univ. of Wisc.
Delaware County ranked first among Ohio’s 88 counties for health outcomes, a measure of how healthy residents are, and health factors, which anticipate how healthy people will be in the future based on behaviors like smoking, drinking, obesity, food environment, physical activity and the rates of sexually transmitted infections and teen births.
Delaware County is also among the state’s most prosperous counties, ranking near the top for population growth, income and employment.
Franklin County, the region’s most populous in 48th in health outcome and 38th in health factors, higher than Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo and Dayton and comparable to Akron among Ohio’s largest cities.
Adams County, in southern Ohio is last in both categories.