The Healthiest States in America (2026)
Health outcomes are a critical indicator of quality of life. 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 15% 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.
Health Score by State
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
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 →The healthiest state in America in 2026 is New Hampshire with a health score of 100.0/100, followed by Massachusetts (98.0) and Vermont (95.9). See the full rankings below.
| 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, followed by Massachusetts and Vermont, based on America's Health Rankings data.
Which states have the worst health outcomes?
The states with the worst health outcomes in 2026 are Louisiana, Arkansas, and West Virginia, based on chronic disease, access to care, and mortality data.
How is the health score calculated?
The health score is derived from America's Health Rankings 2025 Annual Report, evaluating chronic disease, healthcare access, health behaviors, and mortality. Health carries a 15% weight.