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Healthiest State Award 2007

Which State Is Healthiest?

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 Download the full 31-page report for just $2.99! Healthiest State Award 2007

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

Press Release | Factors | MQ Home

Healthiest State Rankings 1993 to 2007 | Methodology | About Us

 

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

2007 Healthiest State

ALPHA ORDER

RANK ORDER

2007 RANK

STATE

SUM

2006 RANK

CHANGE

 

2007 RANK

STATE

SUM

2006 RANK

CHANGE

40

Alabama

(8.64)

42

2

 

1

Vermont

21.43

1

0

36

Alaska

(4.71)

39

3

 

2

Minnesota

19.45

3

1

42

Arizona

(10.17)

40

-2

 

3

Massachusetts

17.32

6

3

37

Arkansas

(5.59)

36

-1

 

4

Maine

16.25

4

0

19

California

5.46

19

0

 

5

New Hampshire

16.15

2

-3

28

Colorado

0.44

32

4

 

6

Nebraska

15.79

7

1

13

Connecticut

10.74

9

-4

 

7

Iowa

15.20

5

-2

39

Delaware

(7.02)

37

-2

 

8

Utah

13.93

8

0

46

Florida

(13.05)

41

-5

 

9

Hawaii

13.89

10

1

44

Georgia

(10.78)

44

0

 

10

Kansas

12.69

12

2

9

Hawaii

13.89

10

1

 

11

Rhode Island

12.17

13

2

24

Idaho

4.57

18

-6

 

12

North Dakota

11.93

11

-1

32

Illinois

(0.11)

33

1

 

13

Connecticut

10.74

9

-4

33

Indiana

(0.25)

28

-5

 

14

Washington

9.71

20

6

7

Iowa

15.20

5

-2

 

15

Wisconsin

8.17

14

-1

10

Kansas

12.69

12

2

 

16

New Jersey

8.04

16

0

29

Kentucky

0.18

26

-3

 

17

Oregon

6.77

15

-2

50

Louisiana

(23.65)

48

-2

 

18

Virginia

5.73

21

3

4

Maine

16.25

4

0

 

19

California

5.46

19

0

35

Maryland

(0.71)

35

0

 

20

Ohio

5.41

24

4

3

Massachusetts

17.32

6

3

 

21

Michigan

5.04

23

2

21

Michigan

5.04

23

2

 

22

South Dakota

4.77

17

-5

2

Minnesota

19.45

3

1

 

23

Pennsylvania

4.71

29

6

48

Mississippi

(21.00)

50

2

 

24

Idaho

4.57

18

-6

34

Missouri

(0.42)

34

0

 

25

West Virginia

4.00

22

-3

26

Montana

3.02

27

1

 

26

Montana

3.02

27

1

6

Nebraska

15.79

7

1

 

27

New York

0.97

31

4

47

Nevada

(16.45)

47

0

 

28

Colorado

0.44

32

4

5

New Hampshire

16.15

2

-3

 

29

Kentucky

0.18

26

-3

16

New Jersey

8.04

16

0

 

30

Wyoming

0.10

25

-5

49

New Mexico

(21.18)

49

0

 

31

North Carolina

0.07

30

-1

27

New York

0.97

31

4

 

32

Illinois

(0.11)

33

1

31

North Carolina

0.07

30

-1

 

33

Indiana

(0.25)

28

-5

12

North Dakota

11.93

11

-1

 

34

Missouri

(0.42)

34

0

20

Ohio

5.41

24

4

 

35

Maryland

(0.71)

35

0

41

Oklahoma

(9.48)

45

4

 

36

Alaska

(4.71)

39

3

17

Oregon

6.77

15

-2

 

37

Arkansas

(5.59)

36

-1

23

Pennsylvania

4.71

29

6

 

38

Tennessee

(7.01)

38

0

11

Rhode Island

12.17

13

2

 

39

Delaware

(7.02)

37

-2

45

South Carolina

(11.14)

42

-3

 

40

Alabama

(8.64)

42

2

22

South Dakota

4.77

17

-5

 

41

Oklahoma

(9.48)

45

4

38

Tennessee

(7.01)

38

0

 

42

Arizona

(10.17)

40

-2

43

Texas

(10.32)

46

3

 

43

Texas

(10.32)

46

3

8

Utah

13.93

8

0

 

44

Georgia

(10.78)

44

0

1

Vermont

21.43

1

0

 

45

South Carolina

(11.14)

42

-3

18

Virginia

5.73

21

3

 

46

Florida

(13.05)

41

-5

14

Washington

9.71

20

6

 

47

Nevada

(16.45)

47

0

25

West Virginia

4.00

22

-3

 

48

Mississippi

(21.00)

50

2

15

Wisconsin

8.17

14

-1

 

49

New Mexico

(21.18)

49

0

30

Wyoming

0.10

25

-5

 

50

Louisiana

(23.65)

48

-2

METHODOLOGY--The Healthiest State designation is awarded based on 21 factors chosen from the year 2007 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 2007 Healthiest State Award as well as its placement in 2006.