2 Massachusetts Counties Ranked Among 'Healthiest' In America

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EDGARTOWN (CBS) – Want to live healthy? It helps to be in these two Massachusetts counties, according to a new ranking.

Norfolk County and Dukes County (a.k.a. Martha's Vineyard) both land on the U.S. News & World Report list of America's "healthiest communities." Dukes comes in fifth place while Norfolk is No. 18.

The ranking is based on factors like the health of the population, housing, food and nutrition, public safety and the environment. Dukes scored highest in "community vitality," which measures "stability and social cohesion" of a community using data such as voter participation. Norfolk did best in the education category.

Norfolk County consists of a city (Quincy) and 27 towns. Four of those towns (Weymouth, Franklin, Randolph and Braintree) have city forms of government.

New Hampshire's Rockingham County landed at No. 16 on the ranking.

Finishing at the top of the list was Falls Church, Virginia. The Washington, D.C. suburb gets very high marks for education, public safety and its economy.