Best States for Health Care in the US: 2024

Lowest average monthly insurance premium:
New Hampshire

Most hospital beds per capita:
District of Columbia

Most physicians per capita:
District of Columbia

Most dentists per capita:
District of Columbia, Colorado, Hawaii (tie)

Highest percentage of medical residents retained:
California

Highest percentage of insured adults aged 19 to 64 years:
Massachusetts

Highest percentage of insured children 18 years or younger:
Massachusetts

Lowest infant mortality rate:
North Dakota

Lowest cancer rate:
New Mexico

Lowest stroke and CVD rate:
Hawaii

Lowest percentage of at-risk adults without a routine MD visit in the past 2 years:
West Virginia

Lowest percentage of adults without a dental visit in the past year:
Connecticut

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According to recent estimates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, annual health care costs in the US run the average American nearly $13 500 and is only expected to increase in the next few years. However, the high cost of care in the US does not always translate into more favorable health outcomes. The US has a lower life expectancy than other large, high-income countries and Americans have been experiencing worse health outcomes since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Health care conditions in the US are not uniform across states, either.

A recent study from WalletHub examined which states individuals are more likely to get the best health care. The study compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 44 measures of cost, access, and outcomes. Considered were factors including hospital beds and physicians per capita, percentage of adults with insurance, infant mortality rate, and more. Scroll through the slides above to find out which states came out on top.