Floyd County Ranked Least Healthiest in West Texas, Here’s Why

Sorry, Floyd County, but usnews.com has spoken... and it's not lookin' good.

With a population of just under 5,400, according to the 2022 census, Floyd county scored a less-than-desireable 31 points out of 100 when it came to categories like population health, education, public safety and environment.

Let me break it down for you.

Food, Nutrition and Population Health

Food and nutrition received a score of 51, with over 15% of the population not having access to a large grocery store. Also, 12.7% of Floyd County has some form of diabetes, with 40% considered obese.

Additionally, over 16% of the population are smokers, with an average life expectancy of 73 years. A little bonus: teen birth rate is about 30 in every 1,000 teens.

Education

With a high school graduation rate of 95% and 23% holding advanced degrees, Floyd County received an overall education score of 49 out of 100. The county also spends, on average, $19,848 per student in their public schools.

My favorite is what they call "Idle Youth": those minors who are neither working nor enrolled at any schools totaling just over 10%.

Public Safety

Floyd County's violent crime rate sits at 468 out of every 100,000 crimes committed. Also, with a $232 per capita spending rate on health and emergency services, the county sits at a score of 42 out of 100 for public safety.

Environment

Here's the zinger for Floyd's scoring. They currently sit at 29 out of 100 when it comes to environmental risks. Usnews.com really likes their nature accessibility which is a shame for Floyd County, as 0.1% of the county has tree canopy cover, and only 1.8% of the population is within half of a mile of a park.

To add to the list, the county experiences just over 14 days of extreme heat each year, and over 10% of the population resides within a flood hazard zone.

Before Lubbock and the surrounding counties start laughing, just know that Lubbock scored a 43, Lynn County scored a 44, and Lamb County was 35...