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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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How healthy is your state?

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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)

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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)

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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26. Pennsylvania

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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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The Healthiest States in the U.S.

1 of 51

How healthy is your state?

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49. Louisiana (tie)

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49. Mississippi (tie)

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48. Arkansas

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47. West Virginia

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46. South Carolina

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45. Alabama

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44. Kentucky

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43. Oklahoma

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42. Missouri

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41. Indiana

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40. Texas

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39. Tennessee

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38. Nevada

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37. Michigan

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36. Georgia

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35. Ohio

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34. Florida

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33. North Carolina

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32. New Mexico

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31. Delaware

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30. Illinois

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29. Montana

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28. Alaska

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27. South Dakota

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26. Pennsylvania