Goshen, Indiana is a vibrant city in Elkhart County in Northern Indiana. It has many amenities and attractions for people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy, including restaurants, shopping centers, parks, and museums. Despite the many positive amenities Goshen offers its citizens, it is faced with some health challenges. While there are several local hospitals and medical facilities that serve those living in the area with quality healthcare services, access to such healthcare is limited for some due to the population size of 15,000 people. A lack of resources means many people have to travel outside of Goshen for more comprehensive healthcare services. In addition, certain areas of Goshen are at risk for higher rates of chronic diseases or other health-related complications due to environmental pollutants or simply not having enough access to necessary resources such as healthy foods or regular exercise opportunities. As a result, it is important that the city works together to find ways to promote healthier lifestyles among its citizens and increase access to quality health care.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 128 physicians per 100,000 population in Goshen. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Goshen area is 80.2 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
80.2 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Goshen area is 60 (100=best). The US average is 55.
60 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Goshen area is 58 (100=best). The US average is 87.
58 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Goshen commutes 17.3 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Goshen area is 73 (100=best). The US average is 58.
73 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.