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Healthiest State Award 2006

Which State Is Healthiest?

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 Download the full 30-page report for just $2.99! Healthiest State Award 2006

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

Press Release | Factors | MQ Home

Healthiest State Rankings 1993 to 2006 | Methodology | About Us

 

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

2006 HEALTHIEST STATE

ALPHA ORDER

RANK ORDER

2006 RANK

STATE

SUM

2005 RANK

CHANGE

 

2006 RANK

STATE

SUM

2005 RANK

CHANGE

42

Alabama

(10.05)

41

-1

 

1

Vermont

21.99

1

0

39

Alaska

(8.10)

37

-2

 

2

New Hampshire

21.47

2

0

40

Arizona

(8.98)

39

-1

 

3

Minnesota

18.66

4

1

36

Arkansas

(4.69)

40

4

 

4

Maine

16.47

5

1

19

California

6.84

18

-1

 

5

Iowa

16.13

6

1

32

Colorado

(0.68)

27

-5

 

6

Massachusetts

16.06

3

-3

9

Connecticut

14.09

10

1

 

7

Nebraska

15.81

9

2

37

Delaware

(5.34)

35

-2

 

8

Utah

14.74

7

-1

41

Florida

(9.42)

44

3

 

9

Connecticut

14.09

10

1

44

Georgia

(11.11)

42

-2

 

10

Hawaii

12.34

8

-2

10

Hawaii

12.34

8

-2

 

11

North Dakota

10.08

11

0

18

Idaho

7.25

20

2

 

12

Kansas

9.48

15

3

33

Illinois

(2.87)

34

1

 

13

Rhode Island

9.19

12

-1

28

Indiana

0.64

24

-4

 

14

Wisconsin

8.94

14

0

5

Iowa

16.13

6

1

 

15

Oregon

8.12

19

4

12

Kansas

9.48

15

3

 

16

New Jersey

7.79

16

0

26

Kentucky

1.56

32

6

 

17

South Dakota

7.26

22

5

48

Louisiana

(17.44)

50

2

 

18

Idaho

7.25

20

2

4

Maine

16.47

5

1

 

19

California

6.84

18

-1

35

Maryland

(4.59)

29

-6

 

20

Washington

6.76

13

-7

6

Massachusetts

16.06

3

-3

 

21

Virginia

5.43

17

-4

23

Michigan

2.71

23

0

 

22

West Virginia

3.35

28

6

3

Minnesota

18.66

4

1

 

23

Michigan

2.71

23

0

50

Mississippi

(23.08)

49

-1

 

24

Ohio

2.60

26

2

34

Missouri

(3.10)

36

2

 

25

Wyoming

2.11

30

5

27

Montana

1.30

25

-2

 

26

Kentucky

1.56

32

6

7

Nebraska

15.81

9

2

 

27

Montana

1.30

25

-2

47

Nevada

(15.44)

47

0

 

28

Indiana

0.64

24

-4

2

New Hampshire

21.47

2

0

 

29

Pennsylvania

0.53

21

-8

16

New Jersey

7.79

16

0

 

30

North Carolina

0.23

33

3

49

New Mexico

(19.45)

48

-1

 

31

New York

0.00

31

0

31

New York

0.00

31

0

 

32

Colorado

(0.68)

27

-5

30

North Carolina

0.23

33

3

 

33

Illinois

(2.87)

34

1

11

North Dakota

10.08

11

0

 

34

Missouri

(3.10)

36

2

24

Ohio

2.60

26

2

 

35

Maryland

(4.59)

29

-6

45

Oklahoma

(11.87)

46

1

 

36

Arkansas

(4.69)

40

4

15

Oregon

8.12

19

4

 

37

Delaware

(5.34)

35

-2

29

Pennsylvania

0.53

21

-8

 

38

Tennessee

(7.58)

38

0

13

Rhode Island

9.19

12

-1

 

39

Alaska

(8.10)

37

-2

42

South Carolina

(10.05)

43

1

 

40

Arizona

(8.98)

39

-1

17

South Dakota

7.26

22

5

 

41

Florida

(9.42)

44

3

38

Tennessee

(7.58)

38

0

 

42

Alabama

(10.05)

41

-1

46

Texas

(12.98)

45

-1

 

42

South Carolina

(10.05)

43

1

8

Utah

14.74

7

-1

 

44

Georgia

(11.11)

42

-2

1

Vermont

21.99

1

0

 

45

Oklahoma

(11.87)

46

1

21

Virginia

5.43

17

-4

 

46

Texas

(12.98)

45

-1

20

Washington

6.76

13

-7

 

47

Nevada

(15.44)

47

0

22

West Virginia

3.35

28

6

 

48

Louisiana

(17.44)

50

2

14

Wisconsin

8.94

14

0

 

49

New Mexico

(19.45)

48

-1

25

Wyoming

2.11

30

5

 

50

Mississippi

(23.08)

49

-1

METHODOLOGY--The Healthiest State designation is awarded based on 21 factors chosen from the year 2006 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 2006 Healthiest State Award as well as its placement in 2005.