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New survey shows these are the healthiest counties in Massachusetts

BOSTON — While Bay Staters have above-average health compared to the rest of the country, the average quality of health still greatly varies throughout the state, according to a new survey.

The survey released Wednesday from the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute analyzed more than 90 factors such as food security, transportation, housing education and air pollution to rank the healthiest US counties.

Nantucket, Middlesex and Norfolk Counties top the list of healthiest Bay State counties. Nantucket residents were found to have a life expectancy of 83 years, almost over 6 years longer than Hampden County, the lowest-ranked Massachusetts county on the list.

Nine percent of Nantucket County were found to be in poor or fair health compared to 11 percent of Massachusetts residents.

Hampden is above the Massachusetts average for adult obesity, physical inactivity, alcohol-impaired driving deaths, sexually transmitted infections and teen births.

The full ranking is as follows:

1. Nantucket

2. Middlesex

3. Norfolk

4. Dukes

5. Hampshire

6. Plymouth

7. Essex

8. Franklin

9. Barnstable

10. Worcester

11. Suffolk

12. Bristol

13. Berkshire

14. Hampden

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