Every U.S. State Ranked From Healthiest to Unhealthiest
Where does your state fall on the list of the healthiest—and unhealthiest—places in the country?

A lot of outside factors can influence your personal health—some in your control and some beyond it. And while you can make efforts to get more rest, eat a well-balanced diet, and get regular exercise—all of which are key pillars of a healthy lifestyle—there other underlying aspects of your life that affect your well-being, often without you even knowing it. For instance, did you know that where you live could be influencing how healthy or unhealthy you are? That's why for the the past three decades, the United Health Foundation (UHF) has released its annual America's Health Rankings of the healthiest and unhealthiest states in the country.
Using expansive data sets collected from at least 30 sources—ranging from accredited survey organizations to government agencies like the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—the UHF analyzes the way each state performs in a comprehensive number of health measures within the following main categories: behaviors, community and environment, policy, clinical care, and outcomes. Then, the foundation calculates a score for each state based on a composite index of these health measures. States with a score above zero have a population whose overall health status is above the national average and states with a score below zero fall below the national average when it comes to the overall health of their residents.
With that, here is every state in the U.S. ranked from the healthiest to the unhealthiest. And for more on how where you live impacts your life, check out Here's How Long You're Likely to Live in Every State.
1
Vermont

Overall score: 0.850
And if you want to live a long, healthy life, check out 100 Ways to Live to 100.
2
Massachusetts

Overall score: 0.848
3
Hawaii

Overall score: 0.840
And to learn some fascinating facts about the most important organ in your body, check out 23 Amazing Things You Didn't Know About Your Heart.
4
Connecticut

Overall score: 0.734
5
Utah

Overall score: 0.628
And for some health concerns to be aware of, check out 40 Subtle Signs Your Body Is Telling You Something's Seriously Wrong.
6
New Hampshire

Overall score: 0.605
7
Minnesota

Overall score: 0.571
And if you want to live a long, healthy life, check out 50 Important Habits Linked to a Longer Life.
8
New Jersey

Overall score: 0.553
9
Washington

Overall score: 0.540
10
Colorado

Overall score: 0.537
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11
New York

Overall score: 0.512
12
California

Overall score: 0.398
13
Rhode Island

Overall score: 0.378
14
North Dakota

Overall score: 0.371
15
Virginia

Overall score: 0.349
16
Idaho

Overall score: 0.333
17
Nebraska

Overall score: 0.321
18
Maryland

Overall score: 0.312
19
Wyoming

Overall score: 0.298
20
Iowa

Overall score: 0.289
21
Maine

Overall score: 0.248
22
Oregon

Overall score: 0.232
23
Wisconsin

Overall score: 0.203
24
Montana

Overall score: 0.202
25
South Dakota

Overall score: 0.149
26
Illinois

Overall score: 0.094
27
Alaska

Overall score: 0.074
28
Pennsylvania

Overall score: 0.002
29
Kansas

Overall score: -0.021
30
Delaware

Overall score: -0.088
31
Arizona

Overall score: -0.148
32
Michigan

Overall score: -0.209
33
Florida

Overall score: -0.213
34
Texas

Overall score: -0.244
35
Nevada

Overall score: -0.256
36
North Carolina

Overall score: -0.263
37
New Mexico

Overall score: -0.266
38
Ohio

Overall score: -0.401
39
Missouri

Overall score: -0.413
40
Georgia

Overall score: -0.447
41
Indiana

Overall score: -0.493
42
South Carolina

Overall score: -0.595
43
Kentucky

Overall score: -0.609
44
Tennessee

Overall score: -0.641
45
West Virginia

Overall score: -0.657
46
Oklahoma

Overall score: -0.777
47
Alabama

Overall score: -0.820
48
Arkansas

Overall score: -0.836
49
Louisiana

Overall score: -0.912
50
Mississippi

Overall score: -1.005