U.S. News and World Report recently released their annual rankings for the healthiest communities around the country and based on the findings, Coloradans appear to be in pretty good shape.

Two counties in Colorado earned top spots on the list, but first, it's important to know how the data is gathered.

Researchers compared 89 separate indicators across 10 categories that drive overall community health. The report includes a total of 3,000 counties across the country. Categories are scored by experts on a scale of zero to 100. Some of the factors that are considered include the strength of the education system, food and nutrition, environment, and public safety.

The data used to collect information came from well-recognized and validated sources including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Based on the 2022 rankings, Los Alamos County, New Mexico was determined to be the healthiest county. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the project proved that Madison County, Nebraska is the least healthy community in the nation.

Douglas County, Colorado earned one of the top spots on the list, coming in at No. 3, and Broomfield County, Colorado wasn't too far behind, landing at No. 9 on the rankings.

Douglas County

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Google Maps/Canva
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Douglas County actually earned the highest possible score in the "Economy" category. Since 2019, new businesses and individual job opportunities have continued to steadily increase in DougCo.

Broomfield County

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Google Maps/Canva
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Broomfield County also ranked high in the "Economy" category, and also earned a score of 93/100 for "Infrastructure." In 2021, two newly passed infrastructure bills created a significant increase in transportation funding available in this Colorado county.

Colorado itself has plenty of places where residents can get out and be their healthiest selves. From reservoirs and miles of trails to natural grocery stores and local farmers' markets, the Centennial State supports having a healthy lifestyle in many different ways.

Read the full 2022 report here.

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