Howard County, Missouri is a rural area with a population of approximately 7,800 people. Despite its small size, the county has access to quality healthcare services such as hospitals and medical facilities. The Howard County Memorial Hospital in Fayette, MO is the primary hospital serving the area and provides outstanding care for residents. Other local medical facilities include Urgent Care clinics and private practices providing general health care services. In addition, a variety of community initiatives are available to promote healthy living habits among Howard County residents such as diet and exercise programs, mental health support networks, and free screenings for various conditions. Overall, Howard County offers quality healthcare services for its residents and an array of resources to encourage healthy living habits.
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 49 physicians per 100,000 population in Howard County. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Howard County area is 108.4 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
108.4 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Howard County area is 55 (100=best). The US average is 55.
55 / 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 Howard County area is 88 (100=best). The US average is 87.
88 / 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 Howard County commutes 23.3 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 Howard County area is 75 (100=best). The US average is 58.
75 / 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.