Williamson Countyis ranked as the healthiest county in the Lone Star State, according to a collection of county health rankings.
The study from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows that Williamson County is the healthiest county in Texas this year, ahead of Collin County in Northeast Texas.The rankings analyze the overall health of nearly every county in all 50 states, using a standard to measure how healthy people are and how long they live.
All the counties’ results are ranked on the same factors that influence health, such as health outcomes including deaths, low birth rates and mental health; behaviors like smoking, drinking and car crashes; clinical care, including the numbers of uninsured residents and primary care doctors; and socioeconomic conditions such as poverty and violence.
Tuesday's third annual rankings of the nation's healthiest counties, showed that Travis Countydropped four spots to number 12, while Hays County is number 14, down two spots comparing to 2012.
Also in Central Texas, Bastrop improved for the second consecutive year, from 47 in 2012 to number 24 this year.
The county health rankings are an annual checkup on nearly all of the nation's counties, including 221 counties in Texas.