A U.S. News and World Report lists two local hospitals among America's best.

Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey and The Methodist Hospitals, with campuses in Gary and Merrillville, were ranked in the top 50 for excellence in neurology and neurosurgery in the report, which hit newsstands earlier this month.

U.S. News analyzed data on 5,453 medical centers to produce rankings in 16 specialties, including cancer, heart surgery and kidney disease, as well neurology and neurosurgery, among others.

Only 170 hospitals were ranked in one or more of the specialties.

Ingalls made the cut for the seventh straight year, ranking 38th for neurology and neurosurgery this year.

"Our excellence in neurology and neurosurgery truly puts us on par with the very best hospitals anywhere," Ingalls President and Chief Executive Officer Kurt Johnson said.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., ranked first in the specialty, followed by John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

University of Chicago, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Rush University Medical Center, all in Chicago, also ranked among the top 50 hospitals for neurology and neurosurgery.

The Methodist Hospitals ranked 45th.

"We are the only hospital in Northwest Indian to have one of its services recognized nationally," Methodist Hospitals CEO Claude Watts said. Watts credited the "excellent work of physicians and staff" with earning the ranking.

U.S. News ranked the hospitals based on a combination of reputation, mortality rate -- hospitals' ability to keep patients alive -- and other factors.

To see the full list online, go to health.usnews.com.