Report Indicator

The updated Food Environment Index data are now available. This indicator reflects the overall food environment in terms of access to healthy foods and affordability, combining measures of proximity to grocery stores and barriers such as income. Data come from the USDA Food Security Survey (2019 & 2022) as modeled by Feeding America and are used in the 2025 County Health Rankings. The index ranges from 0 (worst) to 10 (best), and a higher z-score indicates worse health.

A new indicator reporting information about the primary language spoken at home by the population aged 5 and older in limited-English households has been added to the report tool.

Note: Data for this indicator are based on tabulations of over 400 languages, some of which include combined language groups. For example, there is a single listing for “Swahili and other languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa” which includes around 1,000 languages.

Additionally, the American Community Survey (ACS) collects information on spoken languages, not written languages. For example, “Chinese” could mean either Traditional or Simplified Chinese. The ACS also recodes responses so that anyone who reports using American Sign Language at home is counted as speaking English, even though they are unrelated languages. Accurate data on language use informs resources for better language access to important government information, public health resources, healthcare services and more.

The 2018–2022 firearm death rate data are now available. This indicator reports the number of deaths due to firearms per 100,000 population, based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics and included in the 2025 County Health Rankings. Data are suppressed for counties with fewer than 10 firearm deaths in the time period.

The 2016–2022 data on motor vehicle crash deaths are now available. This indicator reports the number of deaths due to motor vehicle crashes per 100,000 population, based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics and used in the 2025 County Health Rankings. Data are suppressed for counties with fewer than 10 deaths in the time period.

The 2022 data on self-reported poor or fair health are now available. This indicator reports the percentage of adults aged 18 and older who describe their health as poor or fair, age-adjusted to the 2000 standard population. Data were sourced from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and are used in the 2025 County Health Rankings.

The 2020–2022 data on premature death rates are now available. This indicator reports the number of deaths among residents under age 75 per 100,000 population, age-adjusted, using data from the National Center for Health Statistics and reported in the 2025 County Health Rankings. Data are suppressed for counties with fewer than 20 premature deaths in the time period.

The 2017-2021 data on severe housing problems are now available. This indicator reports the percentage of households experiencing one or more of the following issues: lack of complete kitchen or plumbing facilities, overcrowding, or severe cost burden. Data were originally sourced from the HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) and are used in the 2025 County Health Rankings.

The new data on residential segregation between Black and white residents are now available. This indicator reports the index of dissimilarity, where higher values indicate greater residential segregation, based on 2019–2023 American Community Survey data. The index ranges from 0 (complete integration) to 100 (complete segregation) and represents the percentage of either Black or white residents who would need to move to achieve an even distribution across geographic areas.

New data on maternal and infant health from year 2020-2022. Data obtained from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Affected indicators:

Health Factors – Behaviors

• Prenatal Care in the 1st Trimester
• Obesity – Pre-pregnancy
• Smoking During Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding Initiation
  Health Outcomes
  • Cesarean Delivery
  • Infant Mortality

New data on work injury and illness from year 2022. Data obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Affected indicators:

Social & Economic Factors

• Total Reported Work Injury and Illness