Massachusetts is the healthiest state in the nation for women and children for the second consecutive year, while Louisiana again ranks last, according to the United Health Foundation’s “2026 America’s Health Rankings Health of Women and Children Report” published Oct. 6.
The 10th anniversary edition of the report evaluates all 50 states across 83 measures in five categories of health: social and economic factors, physical environment, behaviors, clinical care and health outcomes.
Massachusetts ranked among the top five in nearly every category, with the report citing a low infant mortality rate, low prevalence of obesity among women and high prevalence of food sufficiency among children as strengths. Challenges included high prevalence of illicit drug use among adolescents, low prevalence of cervical cancer screening and low prevalence of infants exclusively breastfed for six months.
Louisiana ranked No. 50 overall for the second consecutive year, in part due to a high child mortality rate, high prevalence of women in poverty and high prevalence of e-cigarette use among women. Strengths included high enrollment in early childhood education, low prevalence of uninsured children and high prevalence of well-woman visits.
Here are the state rankings from 1 (healthiest) to 50 (least healthy):
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- Minnesota
- Connecticut
- New Jersey
- Utah
- Maryland
- Washington
- Colorado
- Hawaii
- Rhode Island
- Virginia
- Nebraska
- California
- North Dakota
- New York
- Wisconsin
- Oregon
- Iowa
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Pennsylvania
- Maine
- North Carolina
- Delaware
- South Dakota
- Kansas
- Arizona
- Michigan
- Florida
- Wyoming
- Texas
- Indiana
- Ohio
- Montana
- Alaska
- Georgia
- South Carolina
- New Mexico
- Missouri
- Nevada
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Kentucky
- West Virginia
- Oklahoma
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- Louisiana
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