We're One of the Healthiest Counties in Massachusetts, Study Says

By Louisa Hufstader 

Feeling healthy today? 

If you answered "yes,” you're in a solid majority of Norfolk County residents who reportedly are feeling good and doing well. 

According to a recent study by the University of Wisconsin and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Norfolk County was ranked the third healthiest county in Massachusetts.

The study also found that Norfolk County is the third least obese county in the state. While most counties had an obesity rate of 22 to 26 percent, Norfolk County's rate was 20 percent, according to the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report.

The study drew its data from "a variety of national sources," according to the report, which ranked Dukes County the state's healthiest, followed by Middlesex County in second place and Nantucket County in fourth place.

The Nantucket county report, however, is lacking a statistic for excessive drinking.

The study also looked at measures including adult obesity and insurance coverage, premature death and teen birth rates and the number of physicians and dentists per county resident, providing state and national benchmarks for comparison with the local numbers.

Overall, Hampden County was ranked least healthy in the state.

Detailed information on Norfolk County and other counties in the report is available on the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps website. 

Do these results surprise you? Why do you think the drinking rate is so high for Norfolk County in this report? Tell us in the comments.