The list, released Jan. 17, is based on data from the CDC, U.S. Census Bureau and the Kaiser Family Foundation. To identify states with the least healthy (and healthiest) populations, researchers considered 21 metrics across the following categories: disease prevalence and mortality rate, substance abuse, and lifestyle habits and health outlook. Metrics ranged from cancer incidence rate per 100,000 state residents to percentage of adults who are current smokers. Read more about the methodology here.
States with the least healthy populations, according to the analysis:
1. West Virginia
2. Mississippi
3. Kentucky
4. Alabama
5. Arkansas
6. Tennessee
7. Louisiana
8. Oklahoma
9. South Carolina
10. Ohio
States with the healthiest populations, according to the analysis:
1. Hawaii
2. Utah
3. Minnesota
4. California
5. Massachusetts
6. Colorado
7. Washington
8. Connecticut
9. New York
10. New Jersey
To learn more about the report, click here.
