What's New

Kendall tops state health rankings for second year

March 30, 2011
By Stephanie Lulay

Kendall and DuPage counties continue to have the healthiest residents in Illinois, according to an annual county health study released today. According to the study, Kendall and DuPage counties took first and second place in the state, respectively, for the past two years, while Kane County moved from 11th healthiest in 2010 to ninth healthiest for 2011. The study was conducted by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Kendall's healthy record can be attributed to a number of factors, said Kendall County Health Department Executive Director Cheryl Johnson. But the primary reasons the county has topped the list are its low poverty rate and young population. At more than $80,000, Kendall has a high household median income compared with other Illinois counties, Johnson said. "We are fortunate to have enough providers, and they still remain affordable and accessible," she said. "A lot of people still have health insurance, and access to care is excellent."

Residents of Alexander County, which the study dubbed the state's least healthy county, are more than two times more likely to die a premature death than residents of Kendall County. This is the second year of the County Health Rankings, which ranks U.S. counties by health behavior, clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment. Health outcomes are also examined by researchers, which included the rate of people dying before age 75, the percent of people who report being in good health and the rate of low birth weight infants.

The rate of sexually transmitted infection in Alexander County was more than nine times the rate in Kendall. About 45 percent of children in Alexander County live in poverty, compared to 5 percent in Kendall County, according to the report. "The rankings help counties see what is affecting the health of their residents so they can see where they are doing well, where they need to improve, and what steps they need to take as a community to remove barriers to good health," said Patrick Remington, associate dean of Public Health at the University of Wisconsin.

The numerous forest preserves and parks in Kendall County also have played a part, as residents have access to outdoor exercise, Johnson said. With high foreclosure rates, Johnson said she wasn't sure Kendall County would stay on top of the health rankings, she said.

"Kendall has been plagued with significant foreclosures, but we (still) live in a very affluent area," she said. "There's always going to be a disparity when people lack resources." Kendall residents are more likely to have routine physicals, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, and have access to medicine, Johnson said.

The 10 healthiest counties in Illinois, according to the study, are Kendall, DuPage, Woodford, McHenry, Jo Daviess, Monroe, McDonough, Lake, Kane and Henry. The 10 counties in the poorest health, starting with least healthy, are Alexander, Pulaski, Hardin, Saline, Vermilion, Franklin, Edwards, Marion, St. Clair and Hamilton.

The online report can be found at: http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/illinois/kendall

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