More from the Los Angeles Times on the State of the Rockies Conference:
The overall best quality-of-life ratings were awarded to four Colorado counties. Gilpin, Douglas, El Paso and Larimer received A-pluses. The judgment was made based on per capita income, unemployment rate, education levels and natural amenities.
Counties receiving an F-minus were Cascade, Mont.; Valencia, N.M.; Owyhee, Idaho; and Gem, Idaho.
Many of the lowest-rated counties included Indian reservations such as the Navajo of Arizona and New Mexico. McKinley County, with a per capita income of $13,896 and 37% of residents living in poverty, was ranked as the most distressed.
Boulder County, Colo., home to the University of Colorado, was chosen as the most-educated place in the Rockies, with 21% of its population holding a graduate degree or higher compared with the regional average of 9%. Summit County was listed as the healthiest place to live. Santa Fe, N.M., was tops in arts and culture. Teton County, near Yellowstone National Park, was No. 1 for the best quality public lands. It was recently named the richest county in America.