Dakota County 8th Healthiest in Minnesota, Study Says

Turns out people living in Dakota County are pretty healthy. The 8th healthiest in the state, as a matter of fact.

So says a 2012 study conducted by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

Dakota County's large neighbors to the north didn't fare quite as well—Hennepin ranked 52nd and Ramsey 61st. Rice County to the south was 32nd. Scott County to the west ranked 10th and Washington County was 7th.

This is the third year the rankings have been done as an annual check-up highlighting the healthiest and least healthy counties in all 50 states.

It also includes factors that influence health outside of the doctor’s office, the importance of critical factors such as education rates, income levels, and access to healthy foods, as well as access to medical care, all of which influence how long and how well people live.

The healthiest five counties in Minnesota were Steele as No. 1, then Carver, McLeod, Douglas, and Fillmore counties. The bottom six counties ranked were Cass (84), followed by Mahnomen (83), Pipestone (82), Norman (81), Wadena (80) and Lake (79). Three counties—Traverse, Lake of the Woods, and Kittison—didn't make the survey.

The 2012 data reflects that nine percent of Dakota County children live in poverty, while in Washington County that number to drops to seven percent. The number rises to 25 and 12 percent in Ramsey and Rice counties, respectively.  

Another section reports 41.3 percent of Dakota County residents pass away before age 75—compared to 43 percent in Washington County, 58.9 percent in Ramsey and 44.9 in Rice.

A third section says 82 percent of Dakota County ninth-graders finish high school in four years, compared to 88 percent in Washington, 67 percent in Ramsey and 75 in Rice.    

A fourth section reports the percentage of all restaurants in Dakota County that are fast-food establishments to be 56 percent. In Washington County that number drops to 44 percent and in Ramsey and Rice, it hovers at 52 percent in both counties.  

These are just four of several factors included in the ranking system. The entire comparison between Dakota, Washington, Ramsey and Rice counties can be found here. 

“The County Health Rankings show us that much of what influences our health happens outside of the doctor’s office," Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., president and CEO of RWJF said in a prepared statement. "In fact, where we live, learn, work and play has a big role in determining how healthy we are and how long we live."

According to the American Public Health Association, this week, April 2-8, is National Public Health Week. Gov. Mark Dayton declared the week for Minnesota as a way to recognize the state's public healthcare system.

"Minnesota's public health system is one of the best in the nation," said Gov. Dayton. "I want to applaud the public health professionals at the Minnesota Department of Health and at local public health and tribal health agencies across the state for doing such a stellar job of protecting our health and improving our overall quality of life."