Williamson County Ranked Second Healthiest County in Texas

March 31, 2021 Where we live, work, and play matters to our health. In good news for Williamson County residents, the 2021 County Health Rankings, released today, deem the county as Texas’ second healthiest place to live among ranked counties. Since the rankings were first introduced in 2010, Williamson County has been ranked among the top healthiest counties. 

 Many factors influence how well and how long we live, from our access to affordable housing or well-paying jobs to opportunities for a good education for our kids. The County Health Rankings model shows us how these factors work together and illustrates where communities can take action to improve health and eliminate barriers to opportunity. 

 All ranked counties are evaluated using a variety of data including Health Factors, which measure the rate of education, housing, crime, employment, unhealthy behaviors, and exercise. These components are considered to be “changeable behaviors” and indicate the current and future health of a county. Additional measures make up Health Outcomes, which are based on length of life and the quality of daily physical and mental health. The 2021 Rankings are based on pre-pandemic data sources from 2019. 

 The pandemic exposed and emphasized inequities in health and well-being. Data from the Rankings and our Community Health Assessments help to show the root causes that contribute to poor health. Creating conditions for everyone to thrive requires looking to multi-layered social, economic, and structural factors,” said Derrick Neal, Williamson County and Cities Health District Executive Director. “Critical to this process are the Health District’s many partners such as stakeholders at the local, county and state level, healthcare partners, school districts, non-profit partners and The Healthy Williamson County coalitionOur ability to increasingly focus on equity and inclusiveness in the realm of public health will be critical to remaining one of the healthiest communities in Texas. 

 The rankings are produced by the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  The annual report analyzes the health of nearly every county across the United States. The rankings are available online at www.countyhealthrankings.org. Learn more about Your Public Health Department at www.wcchd.org.   

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