• Healthcare

Discover Which of the 50 States are on Top for Their Overall Health in 2022!

January 26, 2023

Key points: 

• The rankings returned after a two-year gap due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• UHF analyzed 51 measures across five categories: social and economic factors, physical environment, behaviors, clinical care, and health outcomes.
• New Hampshire ranked first overall in 2022, excelling in social and economic factors, clinical care, behaviors, and health outcomes.
• Four out of the five top-ranking states are located on the East Coast.
• Louisiana ranked lowest in overall health in 2022, showing the most room for improvement across all categories.

America’s Health Landscape: The 2022 State Rankings

In a remarkable evaluation of America’s health, the United Health Foundation (UHF) revived its analysis of the overall wellness of the 50 states. 

A comprehensive review published on December 6, 2022, heralded the return of these vital rankings, paused for two years amidst the unprecedented turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Established in 1999, UHF is a private nonprofit foundation nurtured by the UnitedHealth Group. A mutual understanding of the unique health challenges induced by the pandemic led to the pause in the health ranking of states in 2020 and 2021. 

The comeback rankings of 2022 were crafted on the foundation of 51 specific measures distributed over five health categories. The key areas were social and economic factors, physical environment, behaviors, clinical care, and health outcomes.

The Victors and Challengers: East and South

The 2022 evaluation crowned New Hampshire as the healthiest state. This title is a testament to the state’s exceptional performance across four of the five categories. 

The categories that contributed to this victory include social and economic factors (ranked 1st), clinical care (ranked 4th), behaviors (ranked 1st), and health outcomes (ranked 6th). The evaluation reveals an East Coast bias as four of the top five states hail from this region.

Conversely, Louisiana, a Southern state, was found to be the state with the most potential for health improvement in 2022. Louisiana scored in the lowest quintile for all five measured categories. Reflecting a similar trend to the top states, all five of the lowest ranking states belong to the South.

The Ranking Rundown

A detailed enumeration of the 2022 state rankings follows, with comprehensive breakdowns of each state’s performance accessible here.

1. New Hampshire: Out of five categories; social and economic factors (No. 1), clinical care (No. 4), behaviors (No. 1), and health outcomes( No. 6);
2. Massachusetts 
3. Vermont
4. Connecticut
5. Hawaii
6. Minnesota 
7. Utah
8. Maryland
9. Washington
10. Colorado
11. Rhode Island
12. Maine
13. New Jersey
14. Virginia
15. Iowa
16. Nebraska
17. Idaho
18. Oregon
19. North Dakota
20. Delaware
21. Wisconsin
22. California
23. New York 
24. South Dakota
25. Pennsylvania 
26. Illinois 
27. Florida 
28. Montana 
29. Michigan
30. North Carolina
31. Kansas
32. Arizona
33. Wyoming
34. Alaska
35. Indiana
36. Georgia
37. Ohio
38. Texas
39. Missouri
40. New Mexico
41. South Carolina
42. Nevada
43. Kentucky
44. Tennessee
45. Oklahoma
46. Alabama
47. West Virginia
48. Arkansas
49. Mississippi 
50. Louisiana: Ranked within the lowest quintile for all five categories.
    

The UHF report provides a breakdown of each state’s performance in individual categories and measures. The complete 44-page annual report can be accessed on the UHF website for further insights and analysis.

The primary goal of America’s Health Rankings is to provide reliable and trustworthy data that can empower and inspire efforts to enhance the health and healthcare of communities. 

This is accomplished through the analysis of a wide range of measures that evaluate the well-being of populations throughout the country. 

By utilizing reputable data sources, the report combines essential health indicators from various categories to assess both the factors influencing health and the resulting outcomes.