Highland County, Virginia is a rural area with limited health care resources. However, despite the lack of population density, there are still medical facilities and hospitals present in this area that provide quality health care services to locals. Highland Medical Center is the main hospital in Highland County providing general medical services and outpatient care to community members. In addition, there are also several local medical facilities such as the Central Community Clinic which provides primary care services to those without insurance or those who need additional assistance. Furthermore, local pharmacies provide important medications and are staffed by experienced pharmacists who can answer questions related to medications. Thus, while Highland County may not have the same resources available as larger cities or towns, it is still possible for residents to get access to quality healthcare within their own community.
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 90 physicians per 100,000 population in Highland County. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Highland County area is 100.0 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
100.0 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Highland County area is 79 (100=best). The US average is 55.
79 / 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 Highland County area is 100 (100=best). The US average is 87.
100 / 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 Highland County commutes 22.5 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 Highland County area is 91 (100=best). The US average is 58.
91 / 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.