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  3. The Healthiest States in the U.S.

The Healthiest States in the U.S.

May 11, 2013
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Where does your state rank on the 2012 list of the nation's healthiest states?
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1 of 51

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How healthy is your state?

Credit: Getty Images

Each year, the United Health Foundation and the American Public Health Association team up to rank the health of the states using a wide range of criteria, including concrete health measures (such as cancer deaths and diabetes rates), lifestyle factors (smoking and alcohol use), and broad quality-of-life indicators (air pollution, violent crime).

America's Health Rankings, as the report is called, is designed to highlight both the bright spots and the problem areas in the nation's public health. Here are the 2012 rankings, from worst to first. Where does your state rank?

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49. Louisiana (tie)

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

50
Change: +1

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • High immunization coverage

Challenges:

  • High prevalences of sedentary lifestyle, obesity & diabetes
  • High percentage of children in poverty
  • High infant mortality rate and high prevalence of low birthweight
  • High rate of preventable hospitalizations

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49. Mississippi (tie)

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

49
Change: no change

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • Low violent crime rate

Challenges:

  • High prevalences of sedentary lifestyle, obesity, & diabetes
  • High infant mortality rate & high prevalence of low birthweight
  • High prevalence of smoking
  • High rate of cardiovascular deaths

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48. Arkansas

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

47
Change: –1

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • Moderate per capita public health funding
  • Moderate immunization coverage

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of smoking
  • High percentage of children in poverty
  • High prevalence of obesity & sedentary lifestyle

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47. West Virginia

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

43
Change: –4

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • High per capita public health funding
  • Low incidence of infectious disease

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of smoking
  • High prevalences of sedentary lifestyle, obesity & diabetes
  • High rate of preventable hospitalizations

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46. South Carolina

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

45
Change: –1

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • Moderate rate of preventable hospitalizations

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of low birthweight
  • Low high school graduation rate
  • High percentage of children in poverty
  • High prevalence of diabetes

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45. Alabama

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

48
Change: +3

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • High per capita public health funding
  • High immunization coverage

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of smoking
  • High prevalences of obesity, sedentary lifestyle & diabetes
  • High prevalence of low birthweight & high infant mortality rate

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44. Kentucky

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

44
Change: no change

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • Low violent crime rate
  • High immunization coverage

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of smoking
  • High rate of preventable hospitalizations
  • High rate of cancer deaths

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43. Oklahoma

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

46
Change: +3

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • Low incidence of infectious disease

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of smoking
  • High prevalences of sedentary lifestyle, obesity, & diabetes
  • Limited availability of primary care physicians
  • High rate of cardiovascular deaths

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42. Missouri

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

40
Change: –2

Strengths:

  • High rate of high school graduation
  • Lower prevalence of low birthweight than most other states

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of smoking
  • High prevalence of sedentary lifestyle & obesity
  • High incidence of infectious disease
  • Low immunization coverage

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41. Indiana

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

37
Change: –4

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • Low geographic disparity within the state
  • Low rate of uninsured population

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of smoking
  • Low per capita public health funding
  • High levels of air pollution

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40. Texas

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

42
Change: +2

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of smoking
  • Low rate of cancer deaths

Challenges:

  • High rate of uninsured population
  • High prevalences of sedentary lifestyle & obesity
  • High incidence of infectious disease
  • High percentage of children in poverty

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39. Tennessee

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

41
Change: +2

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • Higher per capita public health funding than most states
  • Moderate availability of primary care physicians

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of sedentary lifestyle
  • High infant mortality rate & high prevalence of low birthweight
  • High violent crime rate

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38. Nevada

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

39
Change: +1

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of obesity
  • Low incidence of infectious disease

Challenges:

  • Low high school graduation rate
  • High violent crime rate
  • High rate of uninsured population
  • Low per capita public health funding

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37. Michigan

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

33
Change: –4

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of sedentary lifestyle
  • Low rate of uninsured population
  • Low occupational fatalities rate

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of obesity
  • High prevalence of smoking
  • Low immunization coverage

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36. Georgia

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

38
Change: +2

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • High immunization coverage

Challenges:

  • Low high school graduation rate
  • High levels of air pollution
  • High prevalence of low birthweight
  • High infant mortality rate

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35. Ohio

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

36
Change: +1

Strengths:

  • High immunization coverage
  • Low occupational fatalities rate
  • Low geographic disparity within the state

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of smoking
  • High levels of air pollution
  • High rate of preventable hospitalizations

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34. Florida

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

34
Change: no change

Strengths:

  • Low rate of cardiovascular deaths
  • Low rate of cancer deaths
  • Low levels of air pollution

Challenges:

  • High rate of uninsured population
  • High rate of uninsured population
  • High geographic disparity within the state

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33. North Carolina

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

35
Change: +2

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • Low incidence of infectious disease
  • Few poor mental & physical health days per month

Challenges:

  • Low per capita public health funding
  • High prevalence of diabetes
  • High infant mortality rate & high prevalence of low birthweight

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32. New Mexico

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

32
Change: no change

Strengths:

  • High per capita public health funding
  • Low rate of cardiovascular and cancer deaths
  • Low levels of air pollution

Challenges:

  • High rate of uninsured population
  • High percentage of children in poverty
  • Low high school graduation rate

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31. Delaware

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

31
Change: no change

Strengths:

  • Low incidence of infectious disease
  • Low rate of uninsured population
  • Low occupational fatalities rate

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of binge drinking
  • Low immunization coverage
  • High infant mortality rate

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30. Illinois

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

30
Change: no change

Strengths:

  • Ready availability of primary care physicians
  • Moderate prevalence of sedentary lifestyle
  • Low geographic disparity within the state

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of binge drinking
  • High levels of air pollution
  • High incidence of infectious disease

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29. Montana

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

26
Change: –3

Strengths:

  • Low prevalences of obesity & diabetes
  • Low levels of air pollution
  • High rate of high school graduation

Challenges:

  • Low immunization coverage
  • High occupational fatalities rate
  • High prevalence of binge drinking

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28. Alaska

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

29
Change: +1

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of sedentary lifestyle
  • Low levels of air pollution
  • Low prevalence of low birthweight

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of binge drinking
  • High violent crime rate
  • Low high school graduation rate

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27. South Dakota

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

19
Change: –8

Strengths:

  • Low levels of air pollution
  • Few poor mental & physical health days per month
  • Low incidence of infectious disease

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of binge drinking
  • Low immunization coverage
  • High geographic disparity within the state

25 of 51

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26. Pennsylvania

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

28
Change: +2

Strengths:

  • Low rate of uninsured population
  • High rate of high school graduation
  • Low geographic disparity within the state

Challenges:

  • High levels of air pollution
  • Low per capita public health funding
  • High rate of cancer deaths

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25. Arizona

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

27
Change: +2

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of obesity
  • Low rate of preventable hospitalizations
  • Low rates of cancer deaths & cardiovascular deaths

Challenges:

  • High percentage of children in poverty
  • Limited availability of primary care physicians
  • Low high school graduation rate

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24. Kansas

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

25
Change: +1

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of binge drinking
  • Low prevalence of low birthweight
  • High rate of high school graduation

Challenges:

  • Low per capita public health funding
  • Limited availability of primary care physicians
  • High occupational fatalities rate

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23. Wyoming

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

21
Change: –2

Strengths:

  • Low incidence of infectious disease
  • Low percentage of children in poverty
  • Low levels of air pollution

Challenges:

  • Limited availability of primary care physicians
  • Low immunization coverage
  • High prevalence of low birthweight

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22. California

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

22
Change: no change

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of smoking
  • Low prevalences of obesity & sedentary lifestyle
  • Low infant mortality rate

Challenges:

  • High levels of air pollution
  • Low high school graduation rate
  • High incidence of infectious disease

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21. Virginia

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

23
Change: +2

Strengths:

  • Low violent crime rate
  • Few poor mental & physical health days per month
  • Low percentage of children in poverty

Challenges:

  • Low immunization coverage
  • High geographic disparity within the state
  • High prevalences of obesity & diabetes

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20. Iowa

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

16
Change: –4

Strengths:

  • High rate of high school graduation
  • Low percentage of children in poverty
  • Few poor mental & physical health days per month

Challenges:

  • High prevalence of binge drinking
  • Limited availability of primary care physicians
  • High incidence of infectious disease

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19. Maryland

Credit: Getty Images

2011 Rank:

24
Change: +5

Strengths:

  • Low prevalence of smoking
  • Low percentage of children in poverty
  • Ready availability of primary care physicians

Challenges:

  • High violent crime rate
  • High prevalence of low birthweight & high infant mortality rate
  • High levels of air pollution

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18. New York