Ozaukee County ranked healthiest county in Wisconsin; Douglas County was ranked 53rd

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A new report says Ozaukee County is the healthiest of Wisconsin's 72 counties. Dane County is 15th, Douglas County ranks 53rd and Milwaukee County is second-worst at No. 71, above only Menominee County.

The rankings were released Wednesday by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The groups ranked the counties based on 25 factors that influence health. They include rates of smoking and childhood poverty, obesity levels, teen birth rates and access to medical care.

Ozaukee County came out on top, followed by Kewaunee, St. Croix, Pierce and Door counties.

The bottom five were Menominee, Milwaukee, Marquette, Adams and Forest counties. In a sampling of other area counties, Sawyer county was ranked 32nd, Bayfield County 38, Washburn County earned a ranking of 47, Ashland County was ranked 49th and Burnett County ranked 51st.

Milwaukee County ranked low in part because 29 percent of residents were considered obese and 30 percent of kids were growing up in single-parent households.

Online: Health rankings: http://www.countyhealthrankings.org.

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