Healthiest/Least Healthy Counties in Iowa

**drednot57** · 03-31-2011, 01:53 AM

Originally Posted by Al_4_State

Don't you guys have the Maharishi? That's the first thing that popped in my head when I saw that Davis county was #11 and the rest of Southern Iowa was 85+.

Originally Posted by SenorCy

Makes some sense. When we played them in basketball almost everyone from Maharishi was pretty skinny. I think they are vegetarians also.

Maharishi University is in Fairfield, Jefferson County, #42 in the rankings. Really, I think the folks in Davis county just are lying to themselves if they believe they are that healthy. IIRC, Davis County has close to the highest rate of alcoholism in the state. Alcoholics tend not to be very healthy despite what they say to themselves and other people. Davis County, I believe, has among the highest percentage of tobacco users as well. Two big strikes against being among the healthiest counties in Iowa.

**Cyclonepride** · 03-31-2011, 07:20 AM

Can we just go ahead and agree that the Nebraska stank is strong enough to cross rivers and other natural boundaries?

**mustangcy** · 03-31-2011, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by Al_4_State

Don't you guys have the Maharishi? That's the first thing that popped in my head when I saw that Davis county was #11 and the rest of Southern Iowa was 85+.

NOOOOOO!!!! That's Fairfield. Southern Iowa is for sure the poorest of the state but Davis county is a very nice county to live in. Our ranking does not surprise me at all. We've got great schools and a great little hospital. You also don't see the amount of heavy people walking around like in some communities.

**mustangcy** · 03-31-2011, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by drednot57

Maharishi University is in Fairfield, Jefferson County, #42 in the rankings. Really, I think the folks in Davis county just are lying to themselves if they believe they are that healthy. IIRC, Davis County has close to the highest rate of alcoholism in the state. Alcoholics tend not to be very healthy despite what they say to themselves and other people. Davis County, I believe, has among the highest percentage of tobacco users as well. Two big strikes against being among the healthiest counties in Iowa.

Wow, you seem to know more about Davis County than I do...I would love some links proving all of these claims (the highest rate of alcoholics?

). I'm also pretty sure this study involves much more than just asking people how healthy they are. You ever stop and think they actually looked into health records and county trends?

**Al_4_State** · 03-31-2011, 08:43 AM

Does Davis County have a lot of Amish, perhaps? Must be less meth than the rest of Southern Iowa.

Frankly, I was pretty surprised my home county ranked that high. There was a several year period from ~ 2000-2007 where (at least according to the local paper) that it lead either the nation or state in underage drinking tickets issued/capita. Also, my hometown (at one point in time) had a horrifying per capita meth usage, but that's gone down quite a bit in the past few years, and my hometown is very small.

**jdoggivjc** · 03-31-2011, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by weR138

Besides Carter Lake where is somewhere that Iowa touches Nebraska?

Considering that the Missouri River isn't "unclaimed US territory", that the Missouri River isn't the one and only river in the entire world that doesn't have a river bed, and that the state boundaries of both Iowa and Nebraska are both in the river and not the shoreline, I'd say Iowa and Nebraska "touch" each other their entire length (excluding that small South Dakota portion, mind you)...

**mustangcy** · 03-31-2011, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by Al_4_State

Does Davis County have a lot of Amish, perhaps? Must be less meth than the rest of Southern Iowa.

Frankly, I was pretty surprised my home county ranked that high. There was a several year period from ~ 2000-2007 where (at least according to the local paper) that it lead either the nation or state in underage drinking tickets issued/capita. Also, my hometown (at one point in time) had a horrifying per capita meth usage, but that's gone down quite a bit in the past few years, and my hometown is very small.

Yeah, we've got a pretty high amount of Amish...Mennonite as well...although they are still the large minority of the population. I just think it's that hard working mentality that keeps the county fit. Also, people don't eat out around here like they do in other area's. Eating out to much is the death of some people/areas. We don't have any fast food places other than Subway. That makes a difference imo. Davis is also one of the few counties in the area that is actually gaining population..mainly because its a nice place to raise a family and there are decent jobs within driving distance. So that kind of sets us apart from our neighbors.

**statsaholic** · 03-31-2011, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by weR138

They touch the Missouri River.

And that is a failed comment. ALL these counties have places where the state boundary is on land, through old oxbows, etc. For a great example, DeSoto Bend in Harrison... you drive from Iowa through a brief part of Nebraska and back into Iowa all in less than a mile.

There are small exclaves of Iowa in Nebraska and small exclaves of Nebraska in Iowa all along the river.