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These are the healthiest US communities in 2020

Wyatte Grantham-Philips, USA TODAY
·2 min read

SANTA FE — Where do Americans enjoy the healthiest lifestyles? In short, the Southwest — including some mountains in the Land of Enchantment.

Sitting on a plateau north of Santa Fe, Los Alamos County, New Mexico may be most famous for being the secretive birthplace of the atomic bomb during World War II. But it also topped a ranking of the healthiest communities in the United States in 2020, according to research by U.S. News & World Report and the Aetna Foundation.

Following Los Alamos, the report found that the state of Colorado had the highest number of healthiest counties this year — scoring six out of the top ten. Combinations of measures like regular exercise and access to healthcare also brought regions of Virginia and Minnesota to the list.

This undated file aerial photo shows the Los Alamos National laboratory in Los Alamos, N.M. (The Albuquerque Journal via AP, File)
This undated file aerial photo shows the Los Alamos National laboratory in Los Alamos, N.M. (The Albuquerque Journal via AP, File)

Across the United States, here were the ten top healthiest communities this year:

  1. Los Alamos County, New Mexico

  2. Douglas County, Colorado

  3. Falls Church city, Virginia

  4. Broomfield County, Colorado

  5. Routt County, Colorado

  6. Loudoun County, Virginia

  7. Pitkin County, Colorado

  8. Carver County, Minnesota

  9. Summit County, Colorado

  10. San Miguel County, Colorado

U.S. News & World Report and the Aetna Foundation looked at nearly 3,000 counties (and county equivalents) to analyze data across 10 categories with 84 factors, or "indicators."

The 10 categories were: population health, equity, education, economy, housing, food and nutrition, environment, public safety, community vitality, and infrastructure.

"Indicators" included anything from internet access or work commute times, to water quality, crime rates and proximity to parks.

"How well and how long you live are shaped by where you live," wrote U.S. News and World Report.

"Knowing how such factors interact to create a healthier community – or a sicker one – is an important first step toward targeting resources where they'll do the most good. And geography offers a powerful lens through which to focus reform."

The 2020 report is the third year U.S. News and the Aetna Foundation, a philanthropic affiliate or CVS Health, have released the data.

Among the top 25, communities in Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, New Jersey, Wyoming, Maryland and Tennessee also made the list.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Healthiest cities, counties in US 2020: New Mexico, Colorado, Virginia