Fairfax County was named Virginia’s third-healthiest — behind Arlington and Albermarle Counties — in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s 2015 County Health Rankings.
The rankings look at 30 factors, including poverty, education, transportation, housing, violent crimes, jobs, access to healthy foods and access to medical care.
Some stats contributing to Fairfax’s high marks:
An adult smoking rate of 11 percent, and lower-than-average rates of obesity (20 percent), physical inactivity (15 percent) and excessive drinking (20 percent). Fairfax also earned very high marks for access to health care professionals and exercise opportunities.
But some lifestyle factors are not so great here. Fairfax was No. 37 (out of 133 counties) for physical environment. That means average levels of air pollution and housing problems and a way-above-average length of commute for many residents.
In Maryland, Montgomery County earned top honors.
Too see all Virginia stats, visit the County Health Rankings website.
Running in Reston/file photo
Recent Stories
W&OD Trail in Herndon (staff photo by James Jarvis) The Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail has reached the half-century mark. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NOVA Parks) is…
Left to right: Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling President Bruce Wright, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn and Reston Bike Club Vice Chairman Joel Kuester team up to promote the…
Heming, a mixed-use apartment building in Tysons, at sunset (staff photo by Angela Woolsey) FCPS Prevails in Sexual Assault Lawsuit — “A jury on Wednesday rejected a woman’s lawsuit seeking…
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors faces tough decisions ahead of next week’s budget markup session, following demands from local unions to increase county employees’ wages.Last week, dozens of county…
