The County Health Rankings show us that where we live matters to our health. The health of a community depends on many different factors - ranging from health behaviors, education and jobs, to quality of health care, to the environment.

Health Starts Where You Live, Learn, Work and Play

Leading a healthy lifestyle is easier if you live in a community that has access to healthy foods, safe and accessible bike paths and sidewalks, a good education system, a strong economy, supportive relationships and networks, and quality health care. Unfortunately, there are location-based disparities throughout the nation and many people live in communities where leading a healthy lifestyle is difficult.

The County Health Rankings, released annually by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, illustrates these disparities, provides an annual check-up of the health of counties within each state and shows that where we live, learn, work and play matters to our health. The 2012 County Health Rankings will be released this Spring.