Data: County Health Rankings ; Note: Community conditions include social and economic factors, physical environment and health infrastructure; Map: Axios Visuals
King County residents have above-average access to doctors, grocery stores, places to exercise and other community conditions that make for better health, but they still face issues like higher-than-average air pollution and child care costs, a new report finds.
How it works: The annual report from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute looked at dozens of metrics , including commuting data, income levels, unemployment rates, birth weights and obesity rates.
Zoom in: King County ranked high when it comes to health infrastructure, with high flu vaccination rates and a lower-than-average percentage of people who lack health insurance.
- We also had lower rates of smoking, higher levels of physical activity and lower rates of food insecurity than the state and national averages.
Yes, but: Compared with the nation as a whole, King County has higher-than-average levels of fine particulate matter pollution, the report finds.
- Exposure to this type of pollution is linked to health conditions such as asthma, as well as heart and lung problems, the EPA says .
Child care costs pile up here, too.
- King County households with two children spend an average of 37% of their income on child care, while the national average is 28%, the report says.
Between the lines: A slightly higher-than-average share of King County residents —18% — also experience severe housing problems, such as overcrowding, high housing costs, or a lack of kitchen or plumbing facilities, according to the report…