The Population Health Institute, a research entity at the University of Wisconsin, has issued its 2023 Health Rankings National Findings report. Its analysis is a county-by-county assessment of the residential lifestyles and choices — good and bad — that affect longevity.

Montgomery County ranked No. 4 in the state for the health status of its residents behind Chester County (No. 1), Centre County (No. 2) and Union County (No. 3) and ahead of Cumberland County (No. 5).

The some of the health data factors that contributed to Montco’s results came from the following statistics for adult residents:

• 13 percent smoke
• 28 percent are obese
• 18 percent live lives of physical inactivity, notable because the county also has physical activity assets available to 96 percent of its population
• 20 percent drink excessively, which contributes to an alcohol-related death rate of 21 percent

Given the link between good educations and good health (the former generally leading to more professional success, which funds the latter) the analysis also looked at education statistics.

Of Montgomery County adults: 95 percent graduated high school and 80 percent attended at least some college.

The overall health comparison among some of the eastern-Pa.counties shows:

• Chester County: No. 1
• Bucks County: No. 8
• Lancaster County: No. 9
• Delaware County: No. 37
• Philadelphia County: No. 67

The full report is available at the County Health Rankings website.

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More on the education-health relationship.