Study Ranks Gallatin Healthiest Montana County

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — A new report says Gallatin County is the healthiest place to live in Montana.

The Population Health Institute of the University of Wisconsin says the county has the state's lowest obesity rate at 17 percent and one of the lowest smoking rates at 12 percent.

Additional factors considered were the rate of people dying before age 75, high school graduation rates, unemployment, access to healthy foods, air and water quality, income and rates of teen births.

Community Health Partners CEO Lander Cooney tells the Associated Press the statistics can be misleading. She says most of her organization's patients are poor, and they are more likely to be overweight or obese.

Gallatin City-County Health Director Matt Kelley says 22 percent of adults in the county don't have health insurance.