The Healthiest States in America (2026)
New Hampshire is the healthiest state in 2026 with a health score of 100.0/100, followed by Massachusetts (98.0), Vermont (95.9), Connecticut (93.9), and Utah (91.8). Scores are derived from America's Health Rankings data covering chronic disease, healthcare access, and life expectancy. Louisiana ranks last at 0.0.
Key Takeaways
- 1New Hampshire leads the nation in health with a score of 100.0, 2.0 points ahead of #2 Massachusetts. The top 3 is rounded out by Vermont at 95.9.
- 2The Northeast dominates: 6 of the top 10 states are in the Northeast. New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey lead the way for the region.
- 3The 100.0-point gap between #1 New Hampshire and #50 Louisiana is one of the widest spreads across all categories. The median state scores 49.0, meaning half of all states fall below this threshold.
- 4The bottom 5 — Alabama, Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana — are concentrated in the South, with 5 of 5 from that region. Louisiana ranks last with a score of 0.0, signaling persistent challenges in health.
- 5New Hampshire's #1 health ranking aligns with its strong overall position at #1 in our composite rankings. High health performance often correlates with strength in other categories, reinforcing New Hampshire's position as a top-tier state.
Related Analysis
What Are the Healthiest States in America 2026? All 50 Ranked
Where you live affects how long you live. The gap in life expectancy between the healthiest and least healthy states is 4. 8 years — not months, years.
Read the full analysis →| Rank | State | Grade | Health Score | Overall Score | Key Metrics | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | A+ | 100.0 | 87.8 | Health rank #1 of 50 | Northeast |
| 2 | Massachusetts | A+ | 98.0 | 72.8 | Health rank #2 of 50 | Northeast |
| 3 | Vermont | A+ | 95.9 | 79.6 | Health rank #3 of 50 | Northeast |
| 4 | Connecticut | A+ | 93.9 | 73.5 | Health rank #4 of 50 | Northeast |
| 5 | Utah | A+ | 91.8 | 79.3 | Health rank #5 of 50 | West |
| 6 | Minnesota | A | 89.8 | 76.7 | Health rank #6 of 50 | Midwest |
| 7 | Washington | A | 87.8 | 61.4 | Health rank #7 of 50 | West |
| 8 | Maryland | A | 85.7 | 67.7 | Health rank #8 of 50 | Northeast |
| 9 | Hawaii | A | 83.7 | 63.2 | Health rank #9 of 50 | West |
| 10 | New Jersey | A | 81.6 | 65.9 | Health rank #10 of 50 | Northeast |
| 11 | Maine | B+ | 79.6 | 77.3 | Health rank #11 of 50 | Northeast |
| 12 | Virginia | B+ | 77.6 | 74.9 | Health rank #12 of 50 | South |
| 13 | Rhode Island | B+ | 75.5 | 69.8 | Health rank #13 of 50 | Northeast |
| 14 | New York | B+ | 73.5 | 58.4 | Health rank #14 of 50 | Northeast |
| 15 | Nebraska | B+ | 71.4 | 74.9 | Health rank #15 of 50 | Midwest |
| 16 | California | B+ | 69.4 | 42.9 | Health rank #16 of 50 | West |
| 17 | Colorado | B+ | 67.3 | 66.2 | Health rank #17 of 50 | West |
| 18 | North Dakota | B+ | 65.3 | 76.6 | Health rank #18 of 50 | Midwest |
| 19 | Oregon | B | 63.3 | 58.1 | Health rank #19 of 50 | West |
| 20 | Montana | B | 61.2 | 71.1 | Health rank #20 of 50 | West |
Show all 50 states ▾Show fewer ▴
| 21 | Illinois | B | 59.2 | 52.0 | Health rank #21 of 50 | Midwest |
| 22 | Iowa | B | 57.1 | 69.5 | Health rank #22 of 50 | Midwest |
| 23 | Idaho | B | 55.1 | 70.7 | Health rank #23 of 50 | West |
| 24 | South Dakota | B | 53.1 | 81.8 | Health rank #24 of 50 | Midwest |
| 25 | Wisconsin | B | 51.0 | 65.2 | Health rank #25 of 50 | Midwest |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | B | 49.0 | 60.3 | Health rank #26 of 50 | Northeast |
| 27 | Wyoming | C+ | 46.9 | 69.4 | Health rank #27 of 50 | West |
| 28 | Delaware | C+ | 44.9 | 52.3 | Health rank #28 of 50 | Northeast |
| 29 | Kansas | C+ | 42.9 | 59.3 | Health rank #29 of 50 | Midwest |
| 30 | Alaska | C+ | 40.8 | 42.1 | Health rank #30 of 50 | West |
| 31 | Michigan | C+ | 38.8 | 47.7 | Health rank #31 of 50 | Midwest |
| 32 | North Carolina | C+ | 36.7 | 53.7 | Health rank #32 of 50 | South |
| 33 | Arizona | C+ | 34.7 | 44.7 | Health rank #33 of 50 | West |
| 34 | Georgia | C+ | 32.7 | 51.5 | Health rank #34 of 50 | South |
| 35 | Missouri | C | 30.6 | 49.3 | Health rank #35 of 50 | Midwest |
| 36 | Florida | C | 28.6 | 52.8 | Health rank #36 of 50 | South |
| 37 | Ohio | C | 26.5 | 49.1 | Health rank #37 of 50 | Midwest |
| 38 | Nevada | C | 24.5 | 40.3 | Health rank #38 of 50 | West |
| 39 | South Carolina | C | 22.4 | 44.0 | Health rank #39 of 50 | South |
| 40 | Indiana | C | 20.4 | 50.7 | Health rank #40 of 50 | Midwest |
| 41 | Texas | C | 18.4 | 45.8 | Health rank #41 of 50 | South |
| 42 | New Mexico | C | 16.3 | 33.1 | Health rank #42 of 50 | West |
| 43 | Tennessee | D | 14.3 | 46.8 | Health rank #43 of 50 | South |
| 44 | Kentucky | D | 12.2 | 38.4 | Health rank #44 of 50 | South |
| 45 | Oklahoma | D | 10.2 | 41.5 | Health rank #45 of 50 | South |
| 46 | Alabama | D | 8.2 | 38.9 | Health rank #46 of 50 | South |
| 47 | Mississippi | D | 6.1 | 31.5 | Health rank #47 of 50 | South |
| 48 | West Virginia | D | 4.1 | 34.4 | Health rank #48 of 50 | South |
| 49 | Arkansas | F | 2.0 | 30.9 | Health rank #49 of 50 | South |
| 50 | Louisiana | F | 0.0 | 25.9 | Health rank #50 of 50 | South |
Top 10 States for Health
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the healthiest state in America in 2026?
New Hampshire is the healthiest state in 2026 with a health score of 100.0/100, followed by Massachusetts (98.0) and Vermont (95.9). These rankings are based on America's Health Rankings 2026 Annual Report by the United Health Foundation, which evaluates dozens of health metrics including chronic disease prevalence, access to healthcare, health behaviors, mortality rates, and insurance coverage. New Hampshire benefits from strong healthcare infrastructure, high insurance coverage, and above-average incomes that correlate with better health outcomes. The healthiest states tend to invest more in public health infrastructure and preventive care.
Which states have the worst health outcomes?
The states with the worst health outcomes in 2026 are Louisiana (0.0/100), Arkansas (2.0), and West Virginia (4.1). These states face challenges including higher rates of chronic disease (obesity, diabetes, heart disease), lower rates of health insurance coverage, fewer healthcare providers per capita, and higher poverty rates that limit access to quality food, exercise, and preventive care. The gap between the healthiest and least healthy states is 100.0 points — reflecting years of compound differences in healthcare investment, economic opportunity, and public health policy. Life expectancy can differ by several years between top and bottom states.
How is the health score calculated?
The health score is derived from America's Health Rankings 2026 Annual Report, published by the United Health Foundation. This comprehensive report evaluates states across dozens of health metrics including chronic disease prevalence, healthcare access and affordability, health behaviors (smoking, physical activity, obesity), mental health, infant mortality, and overall life expectancy. The raw rank (1-50) is normalized to a 0-100 scale. Health carries a 12% weight in the overall composite score because health outcomes directly affect quality of life, workforce productivity, and household financial stability — medical debt is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in America.
Does income level affect health outcomes by state?
Yes, strongly. There is a well-documented correlation between median household income and health outcomes at the state level. Higher-income states tend to have better insurance coverage, more healthcare facilities, healthier food access, lower obesity rates, and longer life expectancies. Among the top 10 healthiest states, the average median income is well above the national average. However, income alone doesn't determine health — state policies on healthcare expansion, public health investment, and environmental regulation also play significant roles. Some states with moderate incomes achieve good health outcomes through strong public health infrastructure and community programs.
Which states have the longest life expectancy?
States that rank highest for health also tend to have the longest life expectancies. The gap between the longest and shortest state life expectancies spans several years — a difference driven by variations in healthcare access, chronic disease rates, poverty levels, and health behaviors across states. Northeastern and Western states generally lead in life expectancy, while several Southern states have shorter averages. Life expectancy is just one component of the broader health picture — our health score also captures quality of life factors like chronic disease burden and mental health that affect day-to-day well-being even for residents who live long lives. Improving life expectancy at the state level requires addressing root causes like poverty, food deserts, and healthcare access gaps.
How the Health Score Is Calculated
Our health score is derived from America's Health Rankings 2026 Annual Report, published by the United Health Foundation. This comprehensive report evaluates states across dozens of health metrics including chronic disease prevalence, access to care, health behaviors, and mortality rates. Health carries a 12% weight in our composite score. Northeastern and Western states generally lead in health outcomes, while several Southern states face challenges related to chronic disease rates and healthcare access.