Some people in Butler County might be skeptical about the results of a new study ranking this county as the healthiest in Western Pennsylvania and 10th-healthiest of the commonwealth’s 67 counties.

But the study, based on a public information analysis by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, found evidence that accorded the county its high ranking — although the study did identify problem areas that remain a concern.

Some residents here might question the validity of the county’s ranking based on what they see in the city of Butler and some other areas. But what’s happening in the county’s southwestern sector — where there’s a big, young population — has no doubt boosted the county’s standing.

The county is not without problems, but neither is anywhere else. The study reveals that whatever this county’s health-related problems, they are less formidable than what many other locales are experiencing.

Leslie Osche, executive director of United Way of Butler County, provided a logical explanation for why the county ranked so high on the healthy-counties list and even higher — sixth-highest out of 67 — on a second category of measurements.

“There is certainly a link between our very positive economic status, our 98 percent (school) graduation rates, and our health status,” she said.

According to the study report, county residents smoke less, are more physically active and have fewer teen births than the state averages.

While some aspects of that finding might evoke skepticism, again based on what can be observed in the city, in particular, such observations don’t hold true for all areas of the county.

The study, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, also ranks Butler close to the nation’s healthiest counties in some categories — providing additional bragging rights for the county as it works to attract new people, as well as new business.

One of the county’s main health problems, as identified by the study, is the 27 percent obesity rate — two percentage points lower than the state’s 29 percent rate, but two percentage points higher than the nation’s healthiest counties.

That problem has been a topic of discussion here for some time — long before this study.

Findings from the report will be a helpful resource for health care providers to better understand where their populations are vulnerable. Continued efforts to reduce obesity, smoking and boost exercise are justified.

The study confirms that while Butler County faces challenges, it remains a desirable place to live, work and raise a family. That’s especially true for the southwest corner of the county.

That desirability will continue to build, if people here are committed to further betterment, not only regarding their own health but also on behalf of the county’s overall well-being.