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US County Health Risk Index

Gera County Health Risk Index (GCHRI/100) for 480 US counties, computed from real CDC PLACES June 2026 data on adult obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and smoking prevalence.

Which US counties have the highest chronic-disease risk, and what is the average health risk score?

As of June 2026, Caddo County, LA has the highest Gera County Health Risk Index (79.6/100) among the 480 most-populous US counties, with obesity 42.2%, diabetes 17.2%, heart disease 8.4%, and smoking 18.2%. The national mean GCHRI is 44/100. Source: CDC PLACES June 2026.

Source:CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data 2023 release·as of June 2026updated annually (last: )
Gera County Health Risk IndexMean: 44 / 100A transparent 0–100 composite of four CDC PLACES chronic-disease prevalence measures (obesity 25%, diabetes 25%, coronary heart disease 30%, smoking 20%), each min-max normalised across 480 counties. Higher = higher burden. Range: 8.7–79.6/100.How this index is calculated

Highest- and lowest-risk counties

Top 5 highest-risk US counties by GCHRI — June 2026
RankCountyStateGCHRI
1CaddoLA79.6 / 100
2KanawhaWV76.7 / 100
3TrumbullOH75.9 / 100
4BibbGA74.9 / 100
5ClarkOH74.4 / 100
Top 5 lowest-risk US counties by GCHRI — June 2026
RankCountyStateGCHRI
480BoulderCO8.7 / 100
479KingWA8.8 / 100
478ArlingtonVA11.6 / 100
477UtahUT11.7 / 100
476DouglasCO12.1 / 100

Chronic-disease prevalence in the highest-risk county

Caddo County, LA — CDC PLACES June 2026 crude prevalence
MeasurePrevalenceWeight in GCHRI
Obesity (adults)42.2%25%
Diagnosed diabetes (adults)17.2%25%
Coronary heart disease (adults)8.4%30%
Current smoking (adults)18.2%20%

Find your county's health risk score

Search any of the 480 included counties to see its GCHRI, individual CDC prevalence rates, national rank, and risk tier.

Search for your county above, or browse the 10 highest-risk US counties by GCHRI:

Browse all 480 counties

Frequently asked questions

What is the Gera County Health Risk Index (GCHRI)?
The Gera County Health Risk Index (GCHRI) is a 0–100 composite index computed solely from real CDC PLACES June 2026 crude prevalence data for four chronic-disease measures among adults: obesity (weight 25%), diagnosed diabetes (25%), coronary heart disease (30%), and current cigarette smoking (20%). Each measure is min-max normalised across the 480 included counties, then weighted and summed. Higher scores indicate higher chronic-disease burden. The index is published transparently on the methodology page so any reader can reproduce every value.
Which US county has the highest chronic-disease risk?
Among the 480 most-populous US counties in the CDC PLACES June 2026 dataset, Caddo County, LA has the highest Gera County Health Risk Index (79.6/100). Its adult chronic-disease prevalence rates are: obesity 42.2%, diagnosed diabetes 17.2%, coronary heart disease 8.4%, and current smoking 18.2%, per CDC PLACES (June 2026).
Which US county has the lowest chronic-disease risk?
Boulder County, CO has the lowest Gera County Health Risk Index (8.7/100) among the 480 included counties. Its adult prevalence rates are: obesity 16.7%, diagnosed diabetes 7.1%, coronary heart disease 4.8%, and current smoking 8.8%, per CDC PLACES (June 2026).
What is the average GCHRI across all included US counties?
The mean Gera County Health Risk Index across the 480 most-populous US counties included in this dataset is 44/100 (June 2026 CDC PLACES data). GCHRI values range from 8.7 (lowest risk: Boulder, CO) to 79.6 (highest risk: Caddo, LA).
What data source does Gera use for US county health risk?
Gera uses the CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health program, County Data June 2026 release. This is published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is a U.S. federal government work in the public domain. The data provides model-based estimates of chronic-disease prevalence at the county level, covering all 50 states and DC. It requires no API key and is downloadable in full from data.cdc.gov.
Why does the index focus on obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and smoking?
These four measures represent the most prevalent, interrelated, and clinically impactful modifiable chronic conditions in US adults. Coronary heart disease carries the highest weight (30%) because it is the leading cause of death in the US and is strongly predicted by the other three risk factors. Obesity and diabetes each receive 25% weight given their strong prevalence and contribution to cardiovascular and overall morbidity. Smoking receives 20% as the most significant modifiable cause of preventable disease and death.
How do I use the Gera County Health Risk Index to understand my county?
Find your county in the search tool on this page or navigate directly to your county's page to see: its GCHRI score, how it ranks nationally, the individual CDC prevalence rates for all four measures, and how those compare to the national mean. A GeraClinic care navigator can help you interpret these numbers and connect you with preventive-care options appropriate for your area.

Understanding your county's chronic-disease risk?

A GeraClinic care navigator can help you interpret CDC chronic-disease data, assess your personal risk, and connect you with preventive care — online, available now.

Talk to a GeraClinic care navigatorHow the Gera County Health Risk Index works

Contains public sector information published by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and licensed under the U.S. Public Domain (federal government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105). Source: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data 2023 release (June 2026, published 2023 (released 2024)).

Informational/educational only — not a substitute for professional medical advice; a clinician interprets results.