Health Data & Statistics: A Guide

Good sources of local health data include the following:

• State
• County
• Hospitals and healthcare systems.  Virtually every hospital has done a recent community health assessment, thanks to the Affordable Care Act.

Other tips:

• Perform a simple web search, using the name of your state or county plus the words "community health assessment."
• Check your state or county's website for specific local data.  Once there, type the words "health statistics" into the site's search box.
• Think beyond the obvious.  Government agencies that do not focus on healthcare may still have useful information, such as statistics on workforce development.

Examples:

• New Jersey State Health Assessment Data
• Maricopa County, Arizona Public Health Data and Reports
• Marshfield Clinic and Eau Claire County Community Health Assessment

The 500 Cities project, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control, provides city and census data for chronic chronic disease risk factors, health outcomes, and clinical preventive service use for the largest 500 cities in the United States.   Currently they offer data on at least one city in every state in the United States.