This Is The Worst County To Live In Texas

Houston TX

29 July, 2021

3:41 PM

Description

By Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. Houston 2021-07-28 Life expectancy fell by 1.5 years in the United States in 2020. The decline, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid crisis, represents the most pronounced regression in public health in the United States since World War II. While the most recent dip in life expectancy in the U.S. is alarming, there are many parts of the country where poor health outcomes and other socioeconomic hardships have long been the norm. Using an index of three measures — life expectancy at birth, bachelor's degree attainment, and poverty rate — 24/7 Wall St. identified the worst counties to live in in every state. Of the 254 counties that make up Texas, Zavala County ranks as the worst place to live. Quality of life in the area, located southwest of San Antonio, is undermined by widespread financial insecurity. An estimated 33.8% of the local population live below the poverty line, more than double the 14.7% poverty rate across Texas. Additionally, at just 76 years, life expectancy at birth in the county is over three years below that statewide average. A college education is linked to longer life expectancies and greater financial security. In Zavala County, only 10.9% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, well below the 29.9% share of adults across Texas who do. Data on bachelor's degree attainment and poverty are from the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey and are five-year estimates. Data on average life expectancy at birth came from the 2021 County Health Rankings, a joint program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, and are based on mortality data from the years 2017 to 2019. Supplemental data on population and income are from the ACS, and unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted for May 2021 and are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the worst county to live in every state. Can't see the article's infographic? Click here to view the original story.This story was originally published by 24/7 Wall St., a news organization that produces real-time business commentary and data-driven reporting for state and local markets across the country.