Eastern states fare best when it comes to children's health, while Southern states rank near the bottom.
That's according to a recent report from The Annie E. Casey Foundation, a charity dedicated to the well-being of American children. The charity uses metrics from federal sources including the CDC, HHS, U.S. Census Bureau and National Center for Health Statistics to rank each state on four health indicators: low-birth weight babies, children without health insurance, child and teen deaths per 100,000, and children and teens who are overweight or obese.
Best states for children's health, ranking in the 1st quartile:
1. Massachusetts (best)
2. Vermont
3. New Hampshire
4. Minnesota
5. New Jersey
6. Washington
7. Oregon
8. Rhode Island
9. New York
10. Maine
11. Iowa
12. Connecticut
Worst states for children's health, ranking in the 4th quartile:
1. Mississippi (worst)
2. Louisiana
3. Texas
4. South Carolina
5. Wyoming
6. Alabama
7. New Mexico
8. Georgia
9. Arkansas
10. Tennessee
11. Kentucky
12. West Virginia