D I ST I N C T LY M O N TA N A • W I N T E R 2 0 1 8
54
MONTANA
HEALTH UPDATE
2018
BY RACHEL ROCKAFELLOW
W
HERE WE CHOOSE TO LIVE MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN OUR
HEALTH. Hawaii is actually the healthiest state in the union, and Missis-
sippi ranks 50th for health status. Montana is maintaining its health ranking in the
middle of the pack at 23rd of all 50 states, the same as last year.
Comparing Montana rankings by county, the order of the healthiest communities
has remained the same, but Bozeman slipped from number one in the state to num-
ber two, behind Madison County. e community of Ennis is a fly-fishing mecca for
many, and its county has surpassed Gallatin county for the healthiest in the state.
NUMBER WHO WOULD
OF RESIDENTS NOT BE
39,000 Smokers
28,000 Obese (Body Mass Index, aka BMI > 30)
25,000 Adults who drink excessively
29,000 Uninsured
22,000 Aged 25 to 44 without any education beyond high school
12,000 Unemployed
17,000 Children living in poverty
2,000 Experiencing violent crimes
30,000 Households with severe housing problems
HEALTHIEST MONTANA COUNTY
2017 2016 MONTANA MONTANA POPULATION
RANKING RANKING CITY COUNTY RANKING (SIZE)
2 1 Bozeman Gallatin 4
6 6 Missoula Missoula 2
8 8 Kalispell Flathead 7
9 12 Helena Lewis & Clark 6
19 19 Billings Yellowstone 1
20 24 Great Falls Cascade 3
40 41 Butte Silver Bow 5
According to the Population Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin,
"every year, one in six deaths under age 75 in Montana—over 700 deaths—could be
avoided if all residents in the state had a fair chance to be healthy." Specifically, there
are nine areas where we could improve:
"ALL PERSONS ARE
BORN FREE AND
HAVE CERTAIN
INALIENABLE RIGHTS.
THEY INCLUDE
THE RIGHT TO
A CLEAN AND
HEALTHFUL
ENVIRONMENT…
IN ENJOYING THESE
RIGHTS, ALL PERSONS
RECOGNIZE
CORRESPONDING
RESPONSIBILITIES."
MONTANA CONSTITUTION,
ARTICLE II, SECTION 3
