Less wealth means more bad health.

• Position: REGIONALREPORT Statewide

A bad economy harms more than pocketbooks, according to County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, compiled for each state. In North Carolina, 23 of the 25 lowest-ranking counties--as measured by premature death rates and mental and physical well-being--are among the 40 most economically distressed. They might soon get some help. The N.C. Division of Public Health has a $37 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to promote healthier lifestyles. It will disburse $7.4 million annually for five years to local governments and agencies around the state to reduce medical costs from tobacco use, lack of physical activity and poor nutrition.

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RANK MORTALITY MORBIDITY HEALTH BEHAVIORS CLINICAL CARE Top 1 Wake Wake Orange Orange 2 Orange Orange Wake Durham 3 Dare Macon Henderson Buncombe 4 Union Union Mecklenburg Wake 5 Mecklenburg Clay Watauga New Hanover BOTTOM 96 Bladen Bladen Vance Greene 97 Bertie Warren Swain Tyrrell 98 Columbus Columbus Rockingham Swain 99 Robeson Northampton Edgecombe Robeson 100 Swain Halifax Robeson Avery RANK SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 1 Camden Hyde 2 Orange Carteret 3 Wake Watauga 4 Union Dare 5 Watauga Alleghany 96 Scotland Mecklenburg 97 Halifax Rowan 98 Vance Greene 99 Edgecombe Hoke 100 Robeson Edgecombe COUNTY INDEX 1. Alamance 2. Alexander 3...