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Executive BriefIntroductionNational HighlightsFindingsHealth OutcomesSocial and Economic FactorsPhysical EnvironmentClinical CareState RankingsInternational ComparisonAppendixMeasures TableData Source DescriptionsMethodologyState SummariesUS SummaryAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Rankings included in the 2023 Annual Report are derived from 49 measures across five categories of health: social and economic factors, physical environment, behaviors, clinical care and health outcomes. For a more detailed description of how the overall rank is calculated, visit the America’s Health Rankings Methodology page.
New Hampshire Ranks No. 1
New Hampshire is the healthiest state in this year’s report for the second consecutive year. It ranks among the top five states in Social and Economic Factors (No. 1) and Behaviors (No. 2). New Hampshire is No. 6 in Clinical Care, No. 8 in Health Outcomes and No. 12 in Physical Environment.
- Challenges: High prevalence of frequent mental distress, high prevalence of multiple chronic conditions, low percentage of community water supply with fluoridated water
Massachusetts (No. 2), Vermont (No. 3), Connecticut (No. 4) and Minnesota (No. 5) complete the top five healthiest states. Minnesota returned to the top five, switching spots with Hawaii (No. 6).
Louisiana Ranks No. 50
Louisiana is the least healthy state in this year’s report, after also ranking No. 50 in the 2022 Annual Report. It ranks in the bottom five states in Social and Economic Factors (No. 50), Physical Environment (No. 47), Behaviors (No. 49) and Health Outcomes (No. 48). Louisiana is No. 38 in Clinical Care.
- Strengths: Low Black/white residential segregation, high prevalence of colorectal cancer screening, low levels of air pollution
- Challenges: High premature death rate, high economic hardship index score, low prevalence of high school completion
Mississippi (No. 49), Arkansas (No. 48), Oklahoma (No. 47) and Alabama (No. 46) complete the five least healthy states. Oklahoma returned to the bottom five, replacing West Virginia (No. 45).
This graph displays the state scores in order of rank, with the least healthy states on the left and the healthiest states on the right. The distance between bars shows the difference between state scores. For example, Arkansas (No. 48) and Oklahoma (No. 47), while close in ranking, have a sizable difference in score, meaning a lot of progress would need to be made in order for Arkansas to improve its score and move up in the rankings. There is also a large gap in score between Tennessee (No. 44) and the next highest state, New Mexico (No. 43) as well as Connecticut (No. 4) and Vermont (No. 3).
To further explore state-level data, see Explore Data. The website features downloadable State Summaries for each state and the District of Columbia. Each summary describes state-specific strengths, challenges, trends and rankings for individual measures, allowing users to identify which measures positively or negatively influenced each state’s overall rank. This can also be visualized by selecting a state in the Explore Data section. The website also features an Adjust My Rank tool that allows users to explore how progress and challenges across key measures can affect a state’s overall rank.