Ann Arbor, Mich., tops AARP healthiest list

0 Comments | USA TODAY, July, 2008 | by Rita Rubin

Ann Arbor, Mich., home of the University of Michigan Health Center and more than twice the number of doctors per 100,000 people than the U.S. average, tops the list of the 10 "Healthiest Hometowns" for retirees in the September and October issue of AARP The Magazine.

The rankings are based on more than 20 measures of a community's vitality. Besides medical care, the authors examined such factors as the health of residents 50 and older (how many exercise regularly, how many eat fruits and vegetables regularly), longevity rates and air and water quality. Three of the top 10 -- Ann Arbor, Madison, Wis., and Charlottesville, Va. -- are college towns, and young people tend to demand lifestyle perks such as bike paths and fitness programs.

Few towns in the South...