Waukesha County Ranked 4th Healthiest in State

Waukesha County is ranked the 4^th healthiest in Wisconsin, according to the 2019 County Health Rankings, released nationwide today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI).

“Waukesha County is fortunate to have a large number of resources available that help our citizens take action to improve their health. We celebrate a second consecutive year of incremental improvement for the County, from 5^th to 4^th, while also recognizing that the closer we are to the top, the more challenging it becomes,” said Benjamen Jones, Waukesha County Public Health Officer. “Reports such as the County Health Rankings help us define what success looks like so we’re better able to target areas to improve services for our residents.”

The 2019 report ranks Waukesha County 4^th out of Wisconsin’s 72 counties for Health Outcomes, which measure length of life and quality of life, and 2^nd for the fourth consecutive year for Health Factors, such as adult smoking, adult obesity, physical inactivity, excessive drinking, and alcohol-impaired deaths. When combined, Waukesha County ranks 4^th healthiest overall in the state.

The County Health Rankings are one of several data sources that help inform the focus of resources for the Waukesha County Department of Health & Human Services. The Public Health Division is currently spearheading a comprehensive method of gathering and evaluating data through the five-year Community Health Improvement Plan and Process (CHIPP). The current CHIPP focus is on three health-related areas: Mental Health, Nutrition & Physical Activity, and Opioid Use. Information gathered through the CHIPP has helped to implement programs and monitor health impacts for Waukesha County and will continue through 2021. More information is available at www.waukeshacounty.gov/chipp.

Counties that ranked higher than Waukesha County in the 2019 County Health Rankings, include, starting with most healthy, Ozaukee County (1^st), Washington County (2^nd), and St. Croix County (3^rd). The five counties ranked as being in the poorest health, starting with least healthy, are Menominee County, Milwaukee County, Sawyer County, Forest County, and Vilas County. The Rankings are available at www.countyhealthrankings.org.