Harris County residents were among the healthiest in Texas last year, according to a new study., published by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, evaluated civic health and health equity progress across the U.S., Harris County placed 31st for health outcomes, an improvement from 34th in 2022. For 2023, Fort Bend County was ranked fourth in the state.
To measure length of life, the study calculates what researchers consider premature deaths, which is the years of potential life lost from those who die before age 75. In Harris County, 6,800 years of life were lost to deaths of people under age 75, per 100,000 people, according to the report. In Fort Bend 4,600 years of life were lost.
Quality of life calculations took into account people who reported poor physical health, poor mental health and low birth weight. The report also compares how counties take initiative to improve residents' livelihoods. It is intended to help counties examine and evaluate their ability to positively impact health outcomes for their community.
How does Harris County rank in terms of crime