View of Central Avenue in downtown Los Alamos. Courtesy/Los Alamos Commerce & Development Corporation

From the Office of U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

Washington, D.C. – Los Alamos County ranks healthiest in New Mexico, according to the 2018 County Health Rankings, released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

This is the eighth consecutive year that Los Alamos County has been cited as New Mexico’s healthiest county. The full list of rankings is available at www.countyhealthrankings.org.

“Los Alamos County is a great place – a community that offers something for everyone – from young families to retirees,” Luján said.

The County Health Rankings, a collaborative effort between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, measure the health of all the counties in the nation and rank them within states. The rankings are based on more than 30 factors that influence health including education, housing, jobs, smoking, access to healthy food, etc.

The Rankings have become an important tool for communities that want to improve health.

Four of the top five healthiest counties in the state are located in New Mexico’s Third Congressional District. The following counties all placed in the top 5 in the state:  (Los Alamos (ranked 1), Santa Fe (ranked 2),  Dona Ana (ranked 3), Sandoval (ranked 4),  and Roosevelt (ranked 5). The report also highlights the disparities between the health status of counties in the state as four of the five counties ranked lowest in the state were also in the Third District.

“We have much to be proud of in northern New Mexico, and that is highlighted in this report,” Luján said. “But there is also progress to be made. That’s why it’s so important that all of us in elected office – whether at the federal, state or local level – act to bridge the gaps and shore up the disparities so every New Mexican can enjoy the healthiest of lives.”