2nd Annual Most Improved State

MOST IMPROVED STATE AWARD 2ND EDITION
ALPHA ORDER			RANK ORDER
RANK	STATE	SCORE	RANK	STATE	SCORE
10	Alabama	30.58	1	New Hampshire	38.25
50	Alaska	13.20	2	California	36.67
16	Arizona	27.83	3	Virginia	36.17
22	Arkansas	27.30	4	Maryland	36.00
2	California	36.67	5	New Jersey	34.83
33	Colorado	22.25	6	Massachusetts	34.50
20	Connecticut	27.50	7	Florida	34.17
9	Delaware	31.00	8	Nevada	33.33
7	Florida	34.17	9	Delaware	31.00
16	Georgia	27.83	10	Alabama	30.58
24	Hawaii	25.82	11	Pennsylvania	30.50
46	Idaho	18.10	12	Vermont	30.20
30	Illinois	23.25	13	Tennessee	30.09
19	Indiana	27.67	14	West Virginia	28.83
39	Iowa	20.42	15	Rhode Island	28.60
29	Kansas	23.50	16	Arizona	27.83
31	Kentucky	23.00	16	Georgia	27.83
16	Louisiana	27.83	16	Louisiana	27.83
40	Maine	20.25	19	Indiana	27.67
4	Maryland	36.00	20	Connecticut	27.50
6	Massachusetts	34.50	21	Missouri	27.33
27	Michigan	24.50	22	Arkansas	27.30
32	Minnesota	22.33	23	Mississippi	26.25
23	Mississippi	26.25	24	Hawaii	25.82
21	Missouri	27.33	25	South Dakota	25.00
43	Montana	18.83	26	New York	24.67
48	Nebraska	16.00	27	Michigan	24.50
8	Nevada	33.33	27	Texas	24.50
1	New Hampshire	38.25	29	Kansas	23.50
5	New Jersey	34.83	30	Illinois	23.25
44	New Mexico	18.58	31	Kentucky	23.00
26	New York	24.67	32	Minnesota	22.33
44	North Carolina	18.58	33	Colorado	22.25
42	North Dakota	19.10	34	Ohio	22.08
34	Ohio	22.08	35	South Carolina	21.92
37	Oklahoma	21.25	36	Washington	21.33
47	Oregon	17.00	37	Oklahoma	21.25
11	Pennsylvania	30.50	38	Wisconsin	20.50
15	Rhode Island	28.60	39	Iowa	20.42
35	South Carolina	21.92	40	Maine	20.25
25	South Dakota	25.00	41	Utah	19.83
13	Tennessee	30.09	42	North Dakota	19.10
27	Texas	24.50	43	Montana	18.83
41	Utah	19.83	44	New Mexico	18.58
12	Vermont	30.20	44	North Carolina	18.58
3	Virginia	36.17	46	Idaho	18.10
36	Washington	21.33	47	Oregon	17.00
14	West Virginia	28.83	48	Nebraska	16.00
38	Wisconsin	20.50	49	Wyoming	15.00
49	Wyoming	15.00	50	Alaska	13.20

METHODOLOGY: To determine a state's Improvement Score, each state's rankings for 12 factors were averaged. The scale is 1 to 50, the higher the number, the better. Data used are for the most recent 10-year period for which comparable numbers are available from most states. All factors were given equal weight. States with no data available for a given category were ranked based only on the remaining factors. In our book, data are listed from highest to lowest. However, for purposes of this award, we inverted rankings for those factors we determined to be "positive." Thus the state with the greatest increase in the percent of its population covered by health insurance would be ranked 1st in the book but would be given a number 50 ranking for this award.

The results shown in the table above reflect the improvement in a state, not how a state would rank if current data for the 12 factors were used.

Please note that this award is not comparable to our first Most Improved State award as the 12 factors are different. Our other awards (e.g. Most Livable State) are comparable through the years. However, the factors reviewed in the annual State Trends publication will change each year in an effort to periodically review as many factors as possible.

Which State Is The Most Improved?

"1" is Most Improved