The County Health Rankings Organization has released its 2019 rankings and although Anson County has a steady ranking of 90 in North Carolina since 2018, several of the determining factors have decreased.

Quality of life, health factors, health behaviors, clinical care, social and economics factors and physical environment were all of the increases for the year.

According to the report, low birth weight has also increased and now stands at 12 percent, which keeps Anson within the top 10 percetile in the country. Anson is also in the top 10 percentile for premature deaths.

Children in single parent homes had also decreased to 42 percent; and children in poverty decreased to 33 percent.

Length of life in Anson decreased by one point.

The life expectacy of Anson County residents is 74 years of age. Twenty-two percent of residents are smokers, 36 percent suffer from adult obesity and 28 percent are physically inactive.

Poor or fair health, and poor physical and mental days all remained constant for 2019. Frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, and diabetes and HIV prevalence also stayed the same from 2018.

Unemployment stands at 5.3 percent, and is down 0.5 percent since 2018.

High school graduation rate decreased to 84 percent; while adults receiving some college education increased to 47 percent.

Dr. Fred Thompson, head of the Anson County Health Department, said although Anson County has made some progress in the past few years, there is still a ways to go.

He added that the Health Department is still working toward ways to continue the betterment of the county.

By Natalie Davis

The Anson Record