3/21/19
(Atlanta)- White County has received a top ranking as one of the healthiest counties in the state of Georgia. White County is ranked 21st healthiest out of 159 counties in Georgia and one of the highest ratings in northeast Georgia. The annual County Health Rankings just released compared health conditions in the state’s 159 counties. Forsyth County ranks number one.
The County Health Rankings are based on a model of community health that emphasizes the many factors that influence how well and long people live, according to the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps website. The Rankings use more than 30 measures that help communities understand how healthy their residents are today and what will impact their health in the future.
Some of the factors considered include medical care, education, transportation, housing, poverty, high school graduation rates, obesity and teen births.
White County had only 16 percent of the population rated poor or fair health. 28 percent of adults are listed as obese. The county had a higher that state average for excessive drinking and those who were uninsured.
The good health rating for the county is despite the fact that the county has a 4,130 to 1 ratio of primary care physicians, compared to 1,520 for the state average. The county ranked well above the state in high school graduation rate and the county was listed well below the state in violent crime.
