Do You Live in the Best County in Your State?

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24/7 Wall Street used the HDI to identify the best county to live in each state in the country.
Life expectancy, financial stability, and educational attainment are strong indications of an area’s standard of living.
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According to Psychology Today, the most liveable cities are ones with access to convenient public transportation, good schools, housing, and quality medical care. On the other hand, people who live in areas that are high in pollution, low on green space, and have higher crime levels tend to suffer more from depression. Copenhagen and Vienna are rated as two of the most livable cities around the world, but how about in America? Today we are looking at the best county to live in within each state.

When looking for the best place to live, there are three major factors identified by the United Nations Development Program’s Human Development Index (HDI). These include life expectancy, financial stability, and educational attainment. These are all strong indications of an area’s standard of living.

24/7 Wall Street used the HDI to identify the best county to live in each state. The three measures chosen for rankings include life expectancy, the number of adults with bachelor’s degrees, and poverty rate. To calculate each state, we averaged a five-year period of information taken from the 2022 US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. This program was a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. We excluded any county that did not attain the necessary data.

When compared to other countries, the United States ranks high on these factors, but is by no means first on the list. It sits in 21st place and is outranked by several European and Asian countries. Australia and Canada also overshadow America.

Each state, no matter its overall ranking on issues like poverty, includes at least one county where residents are healthier, more financially secure, and better educated than the average U.S. citizens. These measures stand alone as individual data points. However, we cannot ignore the fact that they are correlated. For example, those with a college degree are less likely to live in poverty at any point in time than those without a degree. Likewise, educated and wealthy people tend to be healthier.

Most of these counties have a median income thousands of dollars higher than the state median. For reference, 12.5% of Americans live below the poverty line and 34.3% of adults have an educational minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, the average life expectancy is 78.5 nationally.

Why We Are Covering This

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In post-pandemic years, Americans are moving out of large cities faster than during pre-pandemic years, according to a new census analysis by Goldman Sachs. This migration is due in part to the work-from-home trend spawned by Covid. As citizens leave the big city behind, they are tasked with finding a new place to live. When faced with such a decision, it is important to be able to assess which counties offer the best quality of life.

Alabama: Shelby County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 80.3 years (state: 74.8 years)
Poverty rate: 6.9% (state: 15.7%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 45.6% (state: 27.2%)
Median household income: $90,618 (state: $59,609)
County seat: Columbiana
Counties considered in state: 67

Alaska: Aleutians East Borough

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 100+ years (state: 78.6 years)
Poverty rate: 12.6% (state: 10.5%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 16.9% (state: 30.7%)
Median household income: $79,961 (state: $86,370)
County seat: Sand Point
Counties considered in state: 24

Arizona: Maricopa County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 79.6 years (state: 79.1 years)
Poverty rate: 11.5% (state: 13.1%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 35.0% (state: 31.8%)
Median household income: $80,675 (state: $72,581)
County seat: Phoenix
Counties considered in state: 15

Arkansas: Benton County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 79.5 years (state: 75.5 years)
Poverty rate: 7.9% (state: 16.2%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 35.5% (state: 24.7%)
Median household income: $85,269 (state: $56,335)
County seat: Bentonville
Counties considered in state: 75

California: Marin County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 85.3 years (state: 81.0 years)
Poverty rate: 7.0% (state: 12.1%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 61.1% (state: 35.9%)
Median household income: $142,019 (state: $91,905)
County seat: San Rafael
Counties considered in state: 57

Colorado: Pitkin County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 92.5 years (state: 80.0 years)
Poverty rate: 6.7% (state: 9.6%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 63.1% (state: 43.7%)
Median household income: $96,123 (state: $87,598)
County seat: Aspen
Counties considered in state: 59

Connecticut: Fairfield County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.1 years (state: 80.1 years)
Poverty rate: 9.2% (state: 10.1%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 49.2% (state: 41.4%)
Median household income: $101,194 (state: $90,213)
County seat: None
County equivalents considered in state: 8

Delaware: New Castle County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 77.9 years (state: 78.0 years)
Poverty rate: 10.5% (state: 11.1%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 38.3% (state: 34.5%)
Median household income: $85,309 (state: $79,325)
County seat: Wilmington
Counties considered in state: 3

Florida: St. Johns County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.9 years (state: 79.7 years)
Poverty rate: 6.8% (state: 12.9%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 47.4% (state: 32.3%)
Median household income: $100,020 (state: $67,917)
County seat: St. Augustine
Counties considered in state: 67

Georgia: Forsyth County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.3 years (state: 77.3 years)
Poverty rate: 4.6% (state: 13.5%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 56.2% (state: 33.6%)
Median household income: $131,660 (state: $71,355)
County seat: Cumming
Counties considered in state: 158

Hawaii: Honolulu County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.4 years (state: 82.3 years)
Poverty rate: 8.8% (state: 9.6%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 36.6% (state: 34.7%)
Median household income: $99,816 (state: $94,814)
County seat: Honolulu
Counties considered in state: 4

Idaho: Blaine County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 85.3 years (state: 79.2 years)
Poverty rate: 6.9% (state: 11.0%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 44.5% (state: 30.2%)
Median household income: $81,794 (state: $70,214)
County seat: Hailey
Counties considered in state: 42

Illinois: DuPage County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.9 years (state: 78.6 years)
Poverty rate: 6.3% (state: 11.8%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 51.1% (state: 36.7%)
Median household income: $107,035 (state: $78,433)
County seat: Wheaton
Counties considered in state: 102

Indiana: Hamilton County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.6 years (state: 76.5 years)
Poverty rate: 4.2% (state: 12.3%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 60.8% (state: 28.2%)
Median household income: $114,866 (state: $67,173)
County seat: Noblesville
Counties considered in state: 92

Iowa: Dallas County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.8 years (state: 78.7 years)
Poverty rate: 5.7% (state: 11.1%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 51.5% (state: 30.3%)
Median household income: $99,533 (state: $70,571)
County seat: Adel
Counties considered in state: 99

Kansas: Johnson County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.4 years (state: 77.8 years)
Poverty rate: 5.3% (state: 11.6%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 56.7% (state: 34.7%)
Median household income: $103,644 (state: $69,747)
County seat: Olathe
Counties considered in state: 102

Kentucky: Oldham County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 79.8 years (state: 75.1 years)
Poverty rate: 4.0% (state: 16.1%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 45.4% (state: 26.5%)
Median household income: $117,334 (state: $60,183)
County seat: La Grange
Counties considered in state: 120

Louisiana: St. Tammany Parish

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 77.8 years (state: 75.2 years)
Poverty rate: 11.7% (state: 18.7%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 36.4% (state: 26.1%)
Median household income: $76,914 (state: $57,852)
Parish seat: Covington
Parishes considered in state: 64

Maine: Cumberland County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 80.2 years (state: 78.6 years)
Poverty rate: 7.2% (state: 10.9%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 50.6% (state: 34.1%)
Median household income: $87,710 (state: $68,251)
County seat: Portland
Counties considered in state: 16

Maryland: Howard County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.7 years (state: 78.6 years)
Poverty rate: 5.4% (state: 9.3%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 64.0% (state: 42.2%)
Median household income: $140,971 (state: $98,461)
County seat: Ellicott City
Counties considered in state: 24

Massachusetts: Nantucket County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 83.0 years (state: 80.2 years)
Poverty rate: 4.9% (state: 9.9%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 57.4% (state: 45.9%)
Median household income: $135,590 (state: $96,505)
County seat: Nantucket
Counties considered in state: 14

Michigan: Leelanau County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.3 years (state: 77.5 years)
Poverty rate: 6.7% (state: 13.1%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 48.6% (state: 31.1%)
Median household income: $82,345 (state: $68,505)
County seat: Suttons Bay Township
Counties considered in state: 83

Minnesota: Carver County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 83.2 years (state: 80.4 years)
Poverty rate: 3.8% (state: 9.3%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 49.8% (state: 38.2%)
Median household income: $116,308 (state: $84,313)
County seat: Chaska
Counties considered in state: 87

Mississippi: Madison County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 76.1 years (state: 73.9 years)
Poverty rate: 9.8% (state: 19.2%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 49.5% (state: 23.9%)
Median household income: $79,105 (state: $52,985)
County seat: Canton
Counties considered in state: 81

Missouri: St. Charles County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 79.6 years (state: 76.6 years)
Poverty rate: 4.5% (state: 12.8%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 42.0% (state: 31.2%)
Median household income: $99,596 (state: $65,920)
County seat: St. Charles
Counties considered in state: 115

Montana: Gallatin County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.7 years (state: 78.4 years)
Poverty rate: 10.6% (state: 12.4%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 52.9% (state: 34.0%)
Median household income: $83,434 (state: $66,341)
County seat: Bozeman
Counties considered in state: 48

Nebraska: Sarpy County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 80.7 years (state: 79.0 years)
Poverty rate: 5.5% (state: 10.4%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 41.2% (state: 33.5%)
Median household income: $95,911 (state: $71,722)
County seat: Papillion
Counties considered in state: 79

Nevada: Storey County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.9 years (state: 78.1 years)
Poverty rate: 9.1% (state: 12.7%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 31.4% (state: 26.5%)
Median household income: $86,932 (state: $71,646)
County seat: Virginia City
Counties considered in state: 16

New Hampshire: Rockingham County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 80.8 years (state: 79.6 years)
Poverty rate: 4.8% (state: 7.3%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 43.6% (state: 39.0%)
Median household income: $110,225 (state: $90,845)
County seat: Brentwood
Counties considered in state: 10

New Jersey: Hunterdon County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 83.2 years (state: 79.5 years)
Poverty rate: 3.7% (state: 9.7%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 55.5% (state: 42.3%)
Median household income: $133,534 (state: $97,126)
County seat: Flemington
Counties considered in state: 21

New Mexico: Los Alamos County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 83.9 years (state: 76.9 years)
Poverty rate: 3.7% (state: 18.3%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 69.7% (state: 29.1%)
Median household income: $135,801 (state: $58,722)
County seat: Los Alamos
Counties considered in state: 32

New York: New York County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 83.7 years (state: 80.3 years)
Poverty rate: 15.8% (state: 13.6%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 62.8% (state: 38.8%)
Median household income: $99,880 (state: $81,386)
County seat: Manhattan
Counties considered in state: 62

North Carolina: Orange County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.1 years (state: 77.7 years)
Poverty rate: 12.3% (state: 13.3%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 61.7% (state: 33.9%)
Median household income: $85,785 (state: $66,186)
County seat: Hillsborough
Counties considered in state: 100

North Dakota: Cass County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 79.9 years (state: 78.8 years)
Poverty rate: 10.8% (state: 10.8%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 42.6% (state: 31.4%)
Median household income: $73,249 (state: $73,959)
County seat: Fargo
Counties considered in state: 50

Ohio: Delaware County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.7 years (state: 76.5 years)
Poverty rate: 4.5% (state: 13.3%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 57.4% (state: 30.4%)
Median household income: $123,995 (state: $66,990)
County seat: Delaware
Counties considered in state: 88

Oklahoma: Cimarron County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.8 years (state: 75.5 years)
Poverty rate: 10.9% (state: 15.2%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 31.7% (state: 27.3%)
Median household income: $57,100 (state: $61,364)
County seat: Boise City
Counties considered in state: 77

Oregon: Washington County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.7 years (state: 79.7 years)
Poverty rate: 8.2% (state: 11.9%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 45.8% (state: 35.5%)
Median household income: $100,121 (state: $76,632)
County seat: Hillsboro
Counties considered in state: 35

Pennsylvania: Chester County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.2 years (state: 78.0 years)
Poverty rate: 6.0% (state: 11.8%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 56.1% (state: 33.8%)
Median household income: $118,574 (state: $73,170)
County seat: West Chester
Counties considered in state: 67

Rhode Island: Newport County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.0 years (state: 79.4 years)
Poverty rate: 7.8% (state: 11.2%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 52.1% (state: 36.3%)
Median household income: $96,319 (state: $81,370)
County seat: Newport
Counties considered in state: 5

South Carolina: Beaufort County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.6 years (state: 76.4 years)
Poverty rate: 10.4% (state: 14.4%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 43.4% (state: 30.6%)
Median household income: $81,260 (state: $63,623)
County seat: Beaufort
Counties considered in state: 46

South Dakota: Stanley County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 91.9 years (state: 78.2 years)
Poverty rate: 3.2% (state: 12.3%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 26.9% (state: 30.4%)
Median household income: $82,298 (state: $69,457)
County seat: Fort Pierre
Counties considered in state: 61

Tennessee: Williamson County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.5 years (state: 75.3 years)
Poverty rate: 4.2% (state: 14.0%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 62.0% (state: 29.7%)
Median household income: $125,943 (state: $64,035)
County seat: Franklin
Counties considered in state: 95

Texas: Collin County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 82.2 years (state: 78.4 years)
Poverty rate: 6.3% (state: 13.9%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 54.3% (state: 32.3%)
Median household income: $113,255 (state: $73,035)
County seat: McKinney
Counties considered in state: 237

Utah: Summit County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 85.6 years (state: 79.7 years)
Poverty rate: 5.2% (state: 8.5%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 57.4% (state: 36.1%)
Median household income: $126,392 (state: $86,833)
County seat: Coalville
Counties considered in state: 27

Vermont: Chittenden County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.7 years (state: 79.7 years)
Poverty rate: 11.2% (state: 10.4%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 55.7% (state: 41.7%)
Median household income: $89,494 (state: $74,014)
County seat: Burlington
Counties considered in state: 14

Virginia: Falls Church (independent city)

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 80.6 years (state: 79.1 years)
Poverty rate: 2.3% (state: 10.0%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 78.9% (state: 41.0%)
Median household income: $164,536 (state: $87,249)
County seat: None
County equivalents considered in state: 133

Washington: San Juan County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 86.3 years (state: 80.2 years)
Poverty rate: 11.0% (state: 9.9%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 52.6% (state: 38.0%)
Median household income: $76,745 (state: $90,325)
County seat: Friday Harbor
Counties considered in state: 39

West Virginia: Monongalia County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 79.3 years (state: 74.3 years)
Poverty rate: 20.6% (state: 16.8%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 48.3% (state: 22.7%)
Median household income: $60,893 (state: $55,217)
County seat: Morgantown
Counties considered in state: 55

Wisconsin: Ozaukee County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 81.9 years (state: 78.9 years)
Poverty rate: 4.5% (state: 10.7%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 49.8% (state: 32.0%)
Median household income: $92,258 (state: $72,458)
County seat: Port Washington
Counties considered in state: 72

Wyoming: Teton County

Avg. life expectancy at birth: 86.7 years (state: 78.1 years)
Poverty rate: 6.9% (state: 10.7%)
Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 60.3% (state: 29.0%)
Median household income: $108,279 (state: $72,495)
County seat: Jackson
Counties considered in state: 23

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