Which State Is Healthiest?

1998 Healthiest State

[Factors] [States Ranked By All 23 Factors]

[Healthiest State Rankings 1993 to 1998] [Methodology] [Press Release]

#1 ranking is healthiest; #50 rankings is least healthy

RANK	STATE	AVG	'97		RANK	STATE	AVG	'97
1	Hawaii	35.30	1		26	Illinois	24.96	17
2	Minnesota	34.09	2		27	North Carolina	24.65	19
3	New Hampshire	33.55	4		28	New York	24.57	18
4	Vermont	33.17	6		29	North Dakota	24.48	24
5	Utah	32.91	5		30	Colorado	24.26	29
6	Kansas	31.48	26		31	Michigan	24.09	37
7	Iowa	30.74	8		32	Delaware	24.00	32
8	South Dakota	30.43	20		33	Ohio	23.83	31
9	Connecticut	30.09	3		34	New Mexico	23.48	27
10	Nebraska	29.87	9		35	Indiana	22.96	39
11	Montana	29.61	12		36	Texas	22.87	33
12	California	29.30	14		37	Pennsylvania	22.61	38
13	Washington	28.78	7		38	Oklahoma	22.00	34
14	Maine	28.74	27		39	Arizona	21.17	40
15	Idaho	28.65	11		39	Nevada	21.17	41
16	Massachusetts	28.52	10		41	West Virginia	20.52	49
16	Virginia	28.52	13		42	Florida	20.13	44
18	Maryland	28.48	15		43	South Carolina	19.57	36
18	Wyoming	28.48	25		44	Kentucky	18.35	45
20	Alaska	26.78	16		45	Mississippi	18.04	42
21	Georgia	26.70	35		46	Alabama	18.00	47
22	Rhode Island	26.26	30		47	Tennessee	17.87	46
23	Wisconsin	26.00	23		48	Missouri	17.52	43
24	Oregon	25.22	21		49	Louisiana	17.00	48
25	New Jersey	25.13	22		50	Arkansas	15.74	50

METHODOLOGY: Each state's rankings were averaged for the 23 factors. All factors were given equal weight. Data used are for the most recent year for which comparable numbers are available from most states. Based on this composite number (the "AVG" in the table above), states were then ranked from "healthiest" (highest average ranking) to "least healthy" (lowest average ranking). States with no data available for a given category were ranked based only on the remaining factors.

The tables in Health Care State Rankings 1998 list data from highest to lowest. However, for purposes of this award, we inverted rankings for the four factors we determined to be "positive." Thus, for example, the state with the highest percent of its children immunized in the book (ranking 1st) would be given a "50" for purposes of this award. The table above shows how each state fared in the 1998 Healthiest State Award as well as its placement in 1997.