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#1 ranking is healthiest; #50 rankings is least healthy

2003 HEALTHIEST STATE AWARD

ALPHA ORDER

 

RANK ORDER

2003 RANK STATE SUM 2002 RANK CHANGE 2003 RANK STATE SUM 2002 RANK CHANGE
47 Alabama -13.32 47 0   1 Vermont 18.25 1 0
36 Alaska -3.84 29 -7   2 New Hampshire 17.68 4 2
41 Arizona -7.41 35 -6   3 Nebraska 16.80 5 2
43 Arkansas -8.29 40 -3   4 Iowa 16.30 3 -1
14 California 8.30 13 -1   5 Minnesota 13.84 2 -3
25 Colorado 3.49 21 -4   6 Massachusetts 13.02 9 3
11 Connecticut 10.20 8 -3   7 Maine 12.65 11 4
38 Delaware -6.56 43 5   8 Hawaii 12.55 6 -2
44 Florida -9.37 44 0   9 Utah 12.39 10 1
42 Georgia -8.00 41 -1   10 North Dakota 11.20 7 -3
8 Hawaii 12.55 6 -2   11 Connecticut 10.20 8 -3
21 Idaho 5.29 22 1   12 Washington 8.87 14 2
32 Illinois -2.85 31 -1   13 South Dakota 8.60 20 7
27 Indiana 0.97 28 1   14 California 8.30 13 -1
4 Iowa 16.30 3 -1   15 Kansas 8.19 12 -3
15 Kansas 8.19 12 -3   16 New Jersey 7.64 15 -1
31 Kentucky -1.63 33 2   17 Rhode Island 7.34 16 -1
49 Louisiana -16.12 49 0   18 Montana 7.28 17 -1
7 Maine 12.65 11 4   19 Oregon 6.99 18 -1
35 Maryland -3.70 37 2   20 Wyoming 5.88 25 5
6 Massachusetts 13.02 9 3   21 Idaho 5.29 22 1
28 Michigan -0.04 27 -1   22 Virginia 4.85 19 -3
5 Minnesota 13.84 2 -3   23 Wisconsin 4.82 26 3
50 Mississippi -18.65 50 0   24 Pennsylvania 3.62 23 -1
34 Missouri -3.39 39 5   25 Colorado 3.49 21 -4
18 Montana 7.28 17 -1   26 Ohio 1.09 24 -2
3 Nebraska 16.80 5 2   27 Indiana 0.97 28 1
45 Nevada -12.25 46 1   28 Michigan -0.04 27 -1
2 New Hampshire 17.68 4 2   29 North Carolina -1.38 34 5
16 New Jersey 7.64 15 -1   30 West Virginia -1.60 30 0
46 New Mexico -12.34 48 2   31 Kentucky -1.63 33 2
33 New York -3.36 38 5   32 Illinois -2.85 31 -1
29 North Carolina -1.38 34 5   33 New York -3.36 38 5
10 North Dakota 11.20 7 -3   34 Missouri -3.39 39 5
26 Ohio 1.09 24 -2   35 Maryland -3.70 37 2
40 Oklahoma -6.84 32 -8   36 Alaska -3.84 29 -7
19 Oregon 6.99 18 -1   37 Tennessee -4.67 36 -1
24 Pennsylvania 3.62 23 -1   38 Delaware -6.56 43 5
17 Rhode Island 7.34 16 -1   39 Texas -6.70 42 3
48 South Carolina -13.74 45 -3   40 Oklahoma -6.84 32 -8
13 South Dakota 8.60 20 7   41 Arizona -7.41 35 -6
37 Tennessee -4.67 36 -1   42 Georgia -8.00 41 -1
39 Texas -6.70 42 3   43 Arkansas -8.29 40 -3
9 Utah 12.39 10 1   44 Florida -9.37 44 0
1 Vermont 18.25 1 0   45 Nevada -12.25 46 1
22 Virginia 4.85 19 -3   46 New Mexico -12.34 48 2
12 Washington 8.87 14 2   47 Alabama -13.32 47 0
30 West Virginia -1.60 30 0   48 South Carolina -13.74 45 -3
23 Wisconsin 4.82 26 3   49 Louisiana -16.12 49 0
20 Wyoming 5.88 25 5   50 Mississippi -18.65 50 0
METHODOLOGY--The Healthiest State designation is awarded based on 21 factors chosen from the year 2003 edition of our annual reference book, Health Care State Rankings. These factors reflect access to health care providers, affordability of health care and a generally healthy population.  All 21 factors are the same as last year. The 21 factors were divided into two groups: those that are “negative” for which a high ranking would be considered bad for a state, and those that are “positive” for which a high ranking would be considered good for a state. Rates for each of the 21 factors were processed through a formula that measures how a state compares to the national average for a given category. The positive and negative nature of each factor was taken into account as part of the formula. Once these computations were made, the factors then were weighted (factors were weighted equally.) These weighted scores were then added together to get a state’s final score (“SUM” on the table above.) This way, states are assessed based on how they stack up against the national average. The end result is that the farther below the national average a state’s health ranking is, the lower (and less healthy) it ranks. The farther above the national average, the higher (and healthier) a state ranks. This same methodology was used for our Dangerous State and Safest/Dangerous City Awards.

The table above shows how each state fared in the 2003 Healthiest State Award as well as its placement in 2002.