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Which State Is Healthiest?

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See Rankings Below or Click on These Links for More Information:

Click Here for the Complete 2004 Healthiest State Awards Publication

Press Release | Factors | MQ Home |

Healthiest State Rankings 1993 to 2004 | Methodology | About Us

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

2004 HEALTHIEST STATE

ALPHA ORDER

 

RANK ORDER

2004 RANK

STATE

SUM

2003 RANK

CHANGE

 

2004 RANK

STATE

SUM

2003 RANK

CHANGE

47

Alabama

(13.42)

47

0

 

1

New Hampshire

19.86

2

1

35

Alaska

(4.01)

36

1

 

2

Vermont

19.66

1

-1

40

Arizona

(7.40)

41

1

 

3

Hawaii

15.33

8

5

38

Arkansas

(6.71)

43

5

 

4

Iowa

15.03

4

0

14

California

8.45

14

0

 

5

Minnesota

14.28

5

0

27

Colorado

1.54

25

-2

 

6

Utah

14.01

9

3

10

Connecticut

9.73

11

1

 

7

Nebraska

13.83

3

-4

44

Delaware

(9.58)

38

-6

 

8

Massachusetts

13.67

6

-2

41

Florida

(7.55)

44

3

 

9

Maine

12.05

7

-2

42

Georgia

(8.51)

42

0

 

10

Connecticut

9.73

11

1

3

Hawaii

15.33

8

5

 

11

New Jersey

9.67

16

5

20

Idaho

5.46

21

1

 

12

North Dakota

8.86

10

-2

31

Illinois

(0.20)

32

1

 

13

Washington

8.76

12

-1

28

Indiana

1.41

27

-1

 

14

California

8.45

14

0

4

Iowa

15.03

4

0

 

15

Oregon

7.95

19

4

17

Kansas

6.97

15

-2

 

16

Wyoming

7.07

20

4

29

Kentucky

0.45

31

2

 

17

Kansas

6.97

15

-2

48

Louisiana

(13.84)

49

1

 

18

Rhode Island

6.78

17

-1

9

Maine

12.05

7

-2

 

19

South Dakota

5.86

13

-6

32

Maryland

(0.97)

35

3

 

20

Idaho

5.46

21

1

8

Massachusetts

13.67

6

-2

 

21

Wisconsin

5.09

23

2

25

Michigan

2.48

28

3

 

22

Virginia

3.90

22

0

5

Minnesota

14.28

5

0

 

23

Montana

3.68

18

-5

50

Mississippi

(19.21)

50

0

 

24

Ohio

3.00

26

2

37

Missouri

(4.94)

34

-3

 

25

Michigan

2.48

28

3

23

Montana

3.68

18

-5

 

26

Pennsylvania

1.84

24

-2

7

Nebraska

13.83

3

-4

 

27

Colorado

1.54

25

-2

45

Nevada

(10.51)

45

0

 

28

Indiana

1.41

27

-1

1

New Hampshire

19.86

2

1

 

29

Kentucky

0.45

31

2

11

New Jersey

9.67

16

5

 

30

North Carolina

(0.17)

29

-1

49

New Mexico

(14.34)

46

-3

 

31

Illinois

(0.20)

32

1

33

New York

(2.00)

33

0

 

32

Maryland

(0.97)

35

3

30

North Carolina

(0.17)

29

-1

 

33

New York

(2.00)

33

0

12

North Dakota

8.86

10

-2

 

34

West Virginia

(2.73)

30

-4

24

Ohio

3.00

26

2

 

35

Alaska

(4.01)

36

1

39

Oklahoma

(6.77)

40

1

 

36

Tennessee

(4.26)

37

1

15

Oregon

7.95

19

4

 

37

Missouri

(4.94)

34

-3

26

Pennsylvania

1.84

24

-2

 

38

Arkansas

(6.71)

43

5

18

Rhode Island

6.78

17

-1

 

39

Oklahoma

(6.77)

40

1

46

South Carolina

(12.95)

48

2

 

40

Arizona

(7.40)

41

1

19

South Dakota

5.86

13

-6

 

41

Florida

(7.55)

44

3

36

Tennessee

(4.26)

37

1

 

42

Georgia

(8.51)

42

0

42

Texas

(8.51)

39

-3

 

42

Texas

(8.51)

39

-3

6

Utah

14.01

9

3

 

44

Delaware

(9.58)

38

-6

2

Vermont

19.66

1

-1

 

45

Nevada

(10.51)

45

0

22

Virginia

3.90

22

0

 

46

South Carolina

(12.95)

48

2

13

Washington

8.76

12

-1

 

47

Alabama

(13.42)

47

0

34

West Virginia

(2.73)

30

-4

 

48

Louisiana

(13.84)

49

1

21

Wisconsin

5.09

23

2

 

49

New Mexico

(14.34)

46

-3

16

Wyoming

7.07

20

4

 

50

Mississippi

(19.21)

50

0

METHODOLOGY--The Healthiest State designation is awarded based on 21 factors chosen from the year 2004 edition of our annual reference book, Health Care State Rankings. These factors reflect access to health care providers, affordability of health care and a generally healthy population.  All 21 factors are the same as last year. The 21 factors were divided into two groups: those that are “negative” for which a high ranking would be considered bad for a state, and those that are “positive” for which a high ranking would be considered good for a state. Rates for each of the 21 factors were processed through a formula that measures how a state compares to the national average for a given category. The positive and negative nature of each factor was taken into account as part of the formula. Once these computations were made, the factors then were weighted (factors were weighted equally.) These weighted scores were then added together to get a state’s final score (“SUM” on the table above.) This way, states are assessed based on how they stack up against the national average. The end result is that the farther below the national average a state’s health ranking is, the lower (and less healthy) it ranks. The farther above the national average, the higher (and healthier) a state ranks. This same methodology was used for our Safest/Most Dangerous State and Safest/Most Dangerous City Awards.

The table above shows how each state fared in the 2004 Healthiest State Award as well as its placement in 2003.