Hunterdon is 27th healthiest U.S. county. Where does your NJ county rank?
FLEMINGTON - If there's one thing that makes county officials prouder than a low property tax rate and farmland preservation, it's the recognition that Hunterdon County is one of the healthiest not only in New Jersey, but the United States as well.
In its latest findings, U.S. News & World Report, in collaboration with CVS Health, listed Hunterdon as the 27th healthiest county in the United States.The magazine's Healthiest Communities rankings are based on data from approximately 3,000 communities nationwide in 10 categories, such as education, population health, infrastructure and environment.
Morris was the only New Jersey county to place higher in the national rankings than Hunterdon. Morris ranked 16th.
Somerset County ranked 67th while Middlesex County was 337th. Union County received a total score of 59 which did not place it in the top 500; the report only ranked the top 500 and the dividing mark was an overall score of 63.
The overall scores and rankings for all New Jersey counties:
Atlantic County: 45, no ranking.
Bergen County: 78, 75th.
Burlington County: 70, 205th.
Camden County: 52. no ranking.
Cumberland County: 33. no ranking.
Essex County: 48, no ranking.
Gloucester County: 65, 408th.
Hudson County: 53, no ranking.
Hunterdon County: 84, 27th.
Mercer County: 58, no ranking.
Middlesex County: 67, 337th.
Monmouth County: 70, 256th.
Morris County: 86, 16th.
Ocean County: 57, no ranking.
Passaic County: 49, no ranking.
Salem County: 48, no ranking.
Somerset County: 79, 67th.
Sussex County: 70, 228th.
Union County: 59, no ranking.
Warren County, 67/330th.
Overall, New Jersey finished 19th among all states in the rankings.
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In the annual rankings compiled by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute with support provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Morris again topped the list of New Jersey's healthies counties followed by Hunterdon and Somerset, the same rankings as in 2020 and 2021.
Middlesex moved down one place to sixth — the same spot it held in 2020 — while Union stayed steady in eighth. Bergen came in fourth place and Sussex made an appearance into the top 5.
The news that Hunterdon was again near the top of the rankings delighted county officials.
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"It is always rewarding to have third party independent verification that Hunterdon County is the safest, best, and healthiest place to live and work,” County Commissioner Shaun Van Doren said.
Van Doren praised both the county health department and Hunterdon Medical Center.
"Congratulations are due to not only the health department, but also to the many who help to keep the county healthy, particularly the Hunterdon Medical Center, our many health care providers around the county, our school leaders, and many others. I encourage all to keep up the great work,” Van Doren said.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
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This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Hunterdon NJ is 27th healthiest county in America
