Americans generally live shorter lives and face more health issues compared to people in other high-income countries. Health disparities vary significantly from state to state.
To provide clarity, Forbes has compiled a ranking of states based on key health criteria. This blog post delves into these rankings, revealing the healthiest and unhealthiest states in America, the methodology behind the assessment, and the factors influencing these outcomes.
How Forbes Ranked the Healthiest and Unhealthiest States?
Forbes evaluated states using 21 metrics from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These metrics were divided into three main categories:
- Lifestyle habits and health outlook (15 points)
- Substance abuse (25 points)
- Disease prevalence and mortality rate (60 points)
Each category was scored from 0 to 100, where a lower score indicates a healthier state. The data was collected and assessed per 100,000 residents to ensure standardization.
The Healthiest States in America: Top 10
1. Hawaii
The Aloha State is the healthiest, with a score of 0 out of 100. Hawaiians have the longest lifespan (80.87 years) and a low obesity rate of 24.83%. The state also has the lowest alcohol-induced fatalities and a low rate of illicit drug dependence.
2. Utah
Utahans reported the highest number of people who exercise regularly. They also have the lowest rates of disease mortality and chronic illness, resulting in a health score of 0.6 out of 100.
3. Minnesota
Minnesota has a health score of 1.11 out of 100. Only 2.5% of its residents report opioid misuse, and it has the 7th lowest percentage of diabetes diagnoses.
4. California
The Golden State boasts a health score of 3.2, thanks to excellent rankings in lifestyle habits and health outlook. Californians also have the second-longest life expectancy at 80.23 years.
5. Massachusetts
Massachusetts has a low obesity rate of 25.67% and only 11.27% of residents currently smoke, contributing to its health score of 4.52.
6. Colorado
Colorado received a health score of 5.62 out of 100, with a low score in lifestyle habits and health outlook (1.12). However, it struggles with substance abuse, scoring 88.27 out of 100.
7. Washington
Washington state has a health score of 6.04. Like Colorado, it struggles with substance abuse (81.48) but has a good lifestyle habits and health outlook score of 3.37.
8. Connecticut
Connecticut has a health score of 8.23. It scores well in lifestyle habits & health outlook, but moderate scores in substance abuse and disease prevalence & mortality rate prevent it from ranking higher.
9. New York
New York scored an even 9.0 for healthiness. It ranked in the low 20s for substance abuse and lifestyle habits & health outlook.
10. New Jersey
New Jersey has a health score of 14.44. A high disease prevalence and mortality rate is a primary factor in its ranking.
The Unhealthiest States in America: Bottom 10
1. West Virginia
West Virginia has a health score of 100 out of 100. It has the highest rate of drug overdose fatalities (57.13 per 100,000 residents) and the highest prevalence of illness and mortality from chronic diseases.
It is the worst in America for diabetes mortality, heart disease mortality, kidney disease mortality, and cancer incidence rate.
2. Mississippi
Mississippi has a health score of 96.55. It has the highest obesity rate in America (39.87%), the lowest life expectancy at birth, and the worst mortality rate metrics for hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, and influenza & pneumonia.
3. Kentucky
Kentucky has a health score of 86.96. It has the fourth-highest cancer incidence rate and a 21.53% smoking percentage.
4. Alabama
Alabama has a health score of 85.69. Over 38% of adults are obese, and it ranks third-highest for residents reporting they haven’t exercised. It also has the second-highest rate of people passing away from strokes and Alzheimer’s disease.
5. Arkansas
Arkansas has a health score of 85.35. It has the second-highest heart disease fatalities and third-highest diabetes mortalities, with over 20% of the population currently smoking.
6. Tennessee
Tennessee has a health score of 82.81, with the worst scores for disease prevalence & mortality rate (76.15) and lifestyle habits & health outlook (86.52).
7. Louisiana
Louisiana has a health score of 82.47, with a poor ranking for habits & health outlook (91.57). It also has the second-highest substance abuse score in the top ten unhealthiest states (70.99).
8. Oklahoma
Oklahoma has a high lifestyle habits & health outlook score of 87.64 and a substance abuse score of 50.62.
9. South Carolina
South Carolina has high disease prevalence & mortality rate and lifestyle habits & health outlook scores.
10. Ohio
Ohio has a health score of 73.38. It ranks poorly across all categories, with the worst score for lifestyle habits & health outlook (80.34).
What Makes a State Healthy or Unhealthy?
Lifestyle Habits and Health Outlook
Factors such as exercise, diet, and smoking significantly impact a state’s health ranking. For instance, Utah residents exercise more, contributing to their high ranking, while states with high obesity rates, like Alabama and Mississippi, rank poorly.
Substance Abuse
High rates of drug and alcohol abuse negatively affect overall health. States like West Virginia and Alaska, with high substance abuse scores, rank among the unhealthiest.
Disease Prevalence and Mortality Rate
Chronic diseases and high mortality rates indicate significant health challenges. States like Mississippi and West Virginia, with high disease prevalence and mortality rates, struggle in the rankings.
Imbalanced Scores
Some states perform well in certain categories but poorly in others. For example, Colorado has a low score in lifestyle habits but a high score in substance abuse, affecting its overall ranking.
The Weight of Metrics
Disease prevalence and mortality rate have the most influence due to its 60-point weight, followed by substance abuse (25 points) and lifestyle habits and health outlook (15 points)
Alicia Richards