NJ Has 4 Of The 25 Healthiest Counties In The U.S., New Study Says [View all]

MarketWatch ranked 576 U.S. counties across multiple health measures, with one NJ county coming in at No. 10.

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NEW JERSEY — A new list of the healthiest communities in the United States has four New Jersey counties in the top 25.

The study, published by MarketWatch, uses 14 metrics as indicators of county health — including data on food insecurity, healthcare access, life expectancy, health insurance coverage, and water and air quality. MarketWatch ranked 576 U.S. counties by giving each a rating out of 100, based on their performance across those metrics.

Bergen County came in at No. 10 on the list, with Hunterdon, Morris, and Monmouth counties also appearing within the top 25.

Overall, the study authors found that the healthiest counties are generally richer areas, with lower rates of food insecurity and more people having reliable, affordable access to health insurance coverage.

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In another section of the article, it points out that "Residents in the unhealthiest counties have fewer grocery stores accessible and are more likely to experience food insecurity." While my area isn't the least healthy, it does have an area where there are few options for affordable fresh fruits and vegetables, and that is where my community/school gardens operate.

When I say "affordable," I am shocked at the prices charged by the stores offering fresh produce in the poorer sections of my town and the adjoining towns. After Covid, they marked up their prices significantly and they have not come down. These stores offer delivery because so many of the area residents don't have cars. Customers in these areas have no choice. We give priority to people within walking distance at these gardens.

While we are currently not getting funding grants from the State of NJ, such grants do exist and we have gotten them in the past. My point is that our state is providing support to help solve this problem.

Link to story.

on edit: add pic of a school/community garden: