2025 County Health Rankings released

ELIZABETHTOWN | Have you ever wondered how healthy Essex County is compared to other counties in New York State, or even other counties across the nation? For well over a decade, the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) releases their County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a project that seeks to understand the factors that affect health in communities, with the goal of identifying strategies that help improve health for all. This year's data release shows that Essex County is faring about the same as the average county in NYS for population health and well-being – and better than the average county in the nation. Population health and well-being is defined by concrete data around length and quality of life (e.g., premature death, obesity, diabetes, and suicide rates), as well as a person's perceptions of their own well-being (e.g. how often they report being in physical or mental distress). For community conditions – things like health infrastructure, physical environments, and social and economic factors – Essex County is faring slightly better than the average county in NYS and better than the average county in the nation. "This year's data release is unique because it uses a new model of health that centers community conditions, societal rules, and power imbalances as the foundation of health and well being," explained Linda Beers, Director of Public Health for the Essex County Health Department (ECHD). "A number of social factors shape how long and how well we live, including access to education, income and wealth disparities, safe and affordable housing, and the right to shape policies and practices that impact our lives and futures." This updated view of health in The Rankings incorporates six new measures,introduced this year: functional disability, feelings of loneliness, lack of social and emotional support, access to libraries, access to parks, and adverse climate events. Bright spots in the data for Essex County highlight improving access to primary care physicians, fewer preventable hospital stays than the average New York or U.S. county, a low level of uninsured individuals, low unemployment, and universal access to opportunities for physical activity (100 percent of residents live close to parks or recreational facilities). Beyond community strengths, The Rankings suggest areas that warrant further exploration. For Essex County, this includes the high cost of child care. "The average household in the county spends 35% of their income on child care if they have two children," Beers noted. "When so much of a paycheck is devoted to child care, households face difficult decisions about other basic needs, such as paying rent, going to the doctor or dentist, buying healthy foods, and paying utility bills. Research shows that affordable access to high quality child care means more economic security for families and better outcomes for children across the lifespan." Beers points to other areas of concern noted in the data. "Our obesity rates are still too high – 36 percent of adults are obese in the county compared to 30 percent in NYS and 34 percent in the U.S. The percentage of adults reporting frequent mental distress is alarming as well. We have 18 percent of adults saying that they're experiencing poor mental health for 14 or more out of the last 30 days. Unfortunately, Essex County also has a mental health provider shortage, with 1 provider per 490 people, compared to NYS averaging 1 provider per 260 people." "What we're learning more and more is that everything is health and health is everything," said Beers. "When we are not in good health, it affects every facet of our lives. And every facet of our lives is inextricably linked to our health. This can often feel like an overwhelming task for public health – how can we possibly tackle every barrier to good health in the county? The answer is we lean on our leaders, our partners, and our community to share the burden. We collaborate, integrate, innovate, promote, and strategize so that collectively we make Essex County a healthier place for our residents." To explore the 2025 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, visit www.countyhealthrankings.org. To learn more about how ECHD is working to improve health in the county, go toessexcountyny.gov/Health and essexcountyny.gov/Health/community-health-assessment.

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2025 County Health Rankings released

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