October 5, 2020
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MO – In the midst of the pandemic, there’s good news about health for St. Charles County residents. The county ranks 82nd of 3,000 communities evaluated nationwide in the “2020 Healthiest Communities” report by U.S News and World Report. This comes on the heels of ranking at the top of Missouri’s healthiest counties again earlier this year in the annual “County Health Rankings” report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute.
“While we’ve consistently ranked high in these reports in other years, this news is especially good to hear in 2020,” says County Executive Steve Ehlmann. “The health and safety of our community is of top priority and I am proud of the work our Public Health Department has done to give our citizens the information and programs they need to make good choices.”
The U.S. News and World Report evaluates counties on 84 metrics across 10 health and health-related categories which include population health, equity, education, economy, housing, food and nutrition, environment, public safety, community vitality, and infrastructure. It assesses which communities offer their citizens the greatest opportunity to live productive, healthy lives. The report found that St. Charles County scored better than the state and the nation in percentage of residents who are in good general health, engage in physical activity, do not smoke, have health insurance, and more. The report also considers factors such as life expectancy and mental health. The county’s overall score of 74 out of 100; the U.S. and Missouri both rated 46.
Beyond the rankings, this report offers data and insight on each of the thousands of communities evaluated that educates and informs consumers and policymakers about what is occurring in their communities. This year’s report includes new tools that track COVID-19, and while specific COVID data is not included in the analysis and rankings, it does include data on diseases relevant to the pandemic.
The report has been issued for three years, and St. Charles County has ranked well all three years. In 2019, the county ranked 80th and in 2018, was 83rd.
This is the 11th consecutive year the county has ranked among the top counties for health outcomes and health factors in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute “County Health Rankings” report. St. Charles County ranks second in the state for both Health Outcomes and Health Factors. These rankings are based on public data collected from vital statistics and government surveys. Health Outcomes considers the length of life and health status of residents; Health Factors encompasses healthy behaviors, available clinic care, education and income levels.
“As public health professionals, staff in the St. Charles County Department of Public Health are dedicated to making certain our residents have the tools and education they need to choose healthy lifestyles,” says Department Director Demetrius Cianci-Chapman. “This has been especially important this year with COVID-19. My staff continues to work
diligently to meet the challenges of 2020, and it is rewarding to be recognized for contributing to the good health status of St. Charles County residents.”
For more information on St. Charles County Department of Public Health programs and services, visit sccmo.org/Public Health. For more information or questions about COVID-19, visit sccmo.org/COVID or call the Public Health Hotline at 636-949-1899.
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Media Contact: Mary Enger, Communications Director, 636-949-1856, or 636-443-1008, menger@sccmo.org
About St. Charles County:
Founded in 1812, St. Charles County is one of the fastest growing counties in Missouri, and the state’s third largest county in both population and economic share. It is home to 17 scenic county parks encompassing nearly 4,000 acres and additional land under development and more in reserve for future development.
With a population of 395,504, St Charles County is home to large employers including General Motors, Citi, MasterCard Worldwide and Boeing. It is ranked among the top 25 counties in the nation in high-tech job growth by the Progressive Policy Institute and consistently has the lowest unemployment rate in the Metropolitan St. Louis area.
St. Charles County Government employs nearly 1,100 in more than 30 departments and offices, who work to make the county an excellent place to live, work and shop. For more information, please visit sccmo.org.