The Healthiest States in the U.S.

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2011 Rank:

20
Change: +2

Strengths:

• Ready availability of primary care physicians
• Low prevalence of smoking
• Low prevalence of obesity
• High per capita public health funding

Challenges:

• Low high school graduation rate
• High prevalence of diabetes

2011 Rank:

15
Change: –2

Strengths:

• Low prevalence of smoking
• Low rate of preventable hospitalizations
• Low prevalence of sedentary lifestyle

Challenges:

• Limited availability of primary care physicians
• Low immunization coverage
• High rate of uninsured population

2011 Rank:

12
Change: –4

Strengths:

• High rate of high school graduation
• Low rate of uninsured population
• Low prevalence of diabetes

Challenges:

• High prevalence of binge drinking
• Low per capita public health funding
• High level of air pollution

2011 Rank:

18
Change: +3

Strengths:

• High rate of high school graduation
• Few poor mental & physical health days per month
• High immunization coverage

Challenges:

• High prevalence of binge drinking
• High incidence of infectious disease
• High occupational fatalities rate

2011 Rank:

9
Change: –4

Strengths:

• Low prevalence of smoking
• Low rate of preventable hospitalizations
• Low prevalence of low birthweight

Challenges:

• Low immunization coverage
• Moderate geographic disparity within the state
• Low high school graduation rate

2011 Rank:

8
Change: –5

Strengths:

• Low prevalence of sedentary lifestyle
• Low rate of preventable hospitalizations
• Low prevalence of low birthweight & low infant mortality rate

Challenges:

• Low immunization coverage
• High rate of uninsured population
• Low per capita public health funding

2011 Rank:

11
Change: –1

Strengths:

• High rate of high school graduation
• High immunization coverage
• Low levels of air pollution
• Low percentage of children in poverty

Challenges:

• High prevalence of binge drinking
• High geographic disparity within the state

2011 Rank:

14
Change: +3

Strengths:

• Low levels of air pollution
• Lower prevalences of sedentary lifestyle, obesity, & diabetes than all other states
• Low rate of preventable hospitalizations

Challenges:

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

2011 Rank:

13
Change: +3

Strengths:

• High immunization coverage
• Ready availability of primary care physicians

Challenges:

• High prevalence of binge drinking
• Many poor mental & physical health days per month
• High rate of preventable hospitalizations

2011 Rank:

10
Change: +1

Strengths:

• Low violent crime rate
• Low rate of uninsured population
• Low prevalence of low birthweight

Challenges:

• High prevalence of smoking
• High rate of cancer deaths
• Moderate prevalence of obesity

2011 Rank:

5
Change: –2

Strengths:

• Low prevalences of smoking & binge drinking
• Low prevalences of sedentary lifestyle, obesity, & diabetes
• Low rate of cancer deaths

Challenges:

• Limited availability of primary care physicians
• High geographic disparity within the state
• Higher incidence of infectious disease than other states

2011 Rank:

17
Change: +9

Strengths:

• High rate of high school graduation
• Low prevalence of smoking
• Low prevalence of obesity

Challenges:

• Higher prevalence of sedentary lifestyle than most other states
• High rate of uninsured population
• High rate of preventable hospitalizations

2011 Rank:

4
Change: –2

Strengths:

• Low prevalence of smoking
• Low incidence of infectious disease
• Low rate of uninsured population
• High immunization coverage

Challenges:

• Moderate high school graduation rate
• Moderate levels of air pollution

2011 Rank:

6
Change: +1

Strengths:

• Low rates of premature death and deaths from cardiovascular disease
• Low prevalences of sedentary lifestyle & diabetes
• High rate of high school graduation

Challenges:

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

2011 Rank:

7
Change: +3

Strengths:

• Low rate of uninsured population
• Low occupational fatalities rate
• Low prevalence of obesity
• Ready availability of primary care physicians

Challenges:

• High prevalence of binge drinking
• High rate of preventable hospitalizations

2011 Rank:

2
Change: –1

Strengths:

• Low percentage of children in poverty
• Low violent crime rate
• Low infant mortality rate
• High rate of high school graduation

Challenges:

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

2011 Rank:

3
Change: +1

Strengths:

• Low prevalence of obesity
• Low prevalence of smoking
• Low rate of preventable hospitalizations

Challenges:

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

2011 Rank:

1
Change: no change

Strengths:

• High rate of high school graduation
• Low incidence of infectious disease
• Low prevalence of low birthweight
• Low rate of uninsured population

Challenges:

• Moderate prevalence of binge drinking
• Higher rate of cancer deaths than most other states