Vermont is ranked second this year, the same as last year. It has moved up in the rankings from eighth in 2001 to its current position. New Hampshire is number three, followed by Hawaii, Connecticut and Utah. Louisiana is 50th and the least healthy state, while Mississippi is 49th. South Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas complete the bottom five states.
Minnesota’s strengths include ranking first for a low rate of cardiovascular deaths, a low premature death rate and a low percentage of uninsured population. It is also in the top five states with a low percentage of children in poverty, a low infant mortality rate, a low occupational fatalities rate, a low rate of motor vehicle deaths and a high rate of high school graduation. Minnesota’s biggest challenges are a high prevalence of obesity at 23.7 percent of the population, limited access to adequate prenatal care with 75.9 percent of pregnant women receiving adequate prenatal care, a moderate violent crime rate at 297 offenses per 100,000 population and a high prevalence of smoking at 20.0 percent of the population.
Table 4 - 2006 Overall America's Health Rankings
ALPHABETICAL BY STATE |
RANK ORDER |
2006 RANK
(1-50) |
STATE |
SCORE* |
2006 RANK
(1-50) |
STATE |
SCORE* |
45 |
Alabama |
-14.8 |
1 |
Minnesota |
21.2 |
31 |
Alaska |
-0.8 |
2 |
Vermont |
20.5 |
34 |
Arizona |
-4.0 |
3 |
New Hampshire |
18.9 |
46 |
Arkansas |
-16.1 |
4 |
Hawaii |
17.9 |
23 |
California |
4.7 |
5 |
Connecticut |
17.2 |
16 |
Colorado |
8.9 |
6 |
Utah |
16.3 |
5 |
Connecticut |
17.2 |
7 |
Massachusetts |
15.3 |
30 |
Delaware |
-0.6 |
8 |
North Dakota |
15.0 |
41 |
Florida |
-10.6 |
9 |
Maine |
13.7 |
42 |
Georgia |
-11.7 |
10 |
Wisconsin |
13.3 |
4 |
Hawaii |
17.9 |
11 |
Iowa |
12.5 |
19 |
Idaho |
6.5 |
12 |
Nebraska |
12.4 |
25 |
Illinois |
3.7 |
13 |
Rhode Island |
11.4 |
33 |
Indiana |
-3.7 |
14 |
New Jersey |
11.0 |
11 |
Iowa |
12.5 |
15 |
Washington |
10.2 |
17 |
Kansas |
7.9 |
16 |
Colorado |
8.9 |
39 |
Kentucky |
-10.1 |
17 |
Kansas |
7.9 |
50 |
Louisiana |
-20.4 |
18 |
South Dakota |
7.5 |
9 |
Maine |
13.7 |
19 |
Idaho |
6.5 |
32 |
Maryland |
-2.7 |
19 |
Oregon |
6.5 |
7 |
Massachusetts |
15.3 |
21 |
Virginia |
5.7 |
27 |
Michigan |
2.3 |
22 |
Montana |
4.9 |
1 |
Minnesota |
21.2 |
23 |
California |
4.7 |
49 |
Mississippi |
-19.9 |
23 |
Wyoming |
4.7 |
35 |
Missouri |
-4.1 |
25 |
Illinois |
3.7 |
22 |
Montana |
4.9 |
25 |
Ohio |
3.7 |
12 |
Nebraska |
12.4 |
27 |
Michigan |
2.3 |
38 |
Nevada |
-8.4 |
28 |
Pennsylvania |
1.8 |
3 |
New Hampshire |
18.9 |
29 |
New York |
1.1 |
14 |
New Jersey |
11.0 |
30 |
Delaware |
-0.6 |
40 |
New Mexico |
-10.4 |
31 |
Alaska |
-0.8 |
29 |
New York |
1.1 |
32 |
Maryland |
-2.7 |
36 |
North Carolina |
-4.3 |
33 |
Indiana |
-3.7 |
8 |
North Dakota |
15.0 |
34 |
Arizona |
-4.0 |
25 |
Ohio |
3.7 |
35 |
Missouri |
-4.1 |
44 |
Oklahoma |
-13.1 |
36 |
North Carolina |
-4.3 |
19 |
Oregon |
6.5 |
37 |
Texas |
-4.7 |
28 |
Pennsylvania |
1.8 |
38 |
Nevada |
-8.4 |
13 |
Rhode Island |
11.4 |
39 |
Kentucky |
-10.1 |
48 |
South Carolina |
-16.4 |
40 |
New Mexico |
-10.4 |
18 |
South Dakota |
7.5 |
41 |
Florida |
-10.6 |
47 |
Tennessee |
-16.2 |
42 |
Georgia |
-11.7 |
37 |
Texas |
-4.7 |
43 |
West Virginia |
-12.8 |
6 |
Utah |
16.3 |
44 |
Oklahoma |
-13.1 |
2 |
Vermont |
20.5 |
45 |
Alabama |
-14.8 |
21 |
Virginia |
5.7 |
46 |
Arkansas |
-16.1 |
15 |
Washington |
10.2 |
47 |
Tennessee |
-16.2 |
43 |
West Virginia |
-12.8 |
48 |
South Carolina |
-16.4 |
10 |
Wisconsin |
13.3 |
49 |
Mississippi |
-19.9 |
23 |
Wyoming |
4.7 |
50 |
Louisiana |
-20.4 |
*Scores presented in this table indicate the percentage a state is above or below the national norm.
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