Health and vital statistics across the states

Life expectancy by state

Life expectancy at birth is the number of years a newborn would live if the death rates of one year held for the whole of its life. The latest state life tables from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) are for 2022. They run from 72.2 years in West Virginia to 80.0 years in Hawaii. The national figure was 77.5 years; 21 states were above it and 28¹, counting DC, below.

The longest lives are spread across the map: Hawaii (80.0 years) in the Pacific, Massachusetts (79.8 years), New Jersey (79.6 years) and New York (79.5 years) in the Northeast, California and Minnesota (both 79.3 years) in the West and Midwest. The seven shortest are all in the South. After West Virginia (72.2 years) come Mississippi (72.6 years), Kentucky (73.6 years), then Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Alabama, all at 73.8 years¹.

Each region has its own range. In the South it runs from Florida (77.9 years) down to West Virginia; in the Midwest from Minnesota (79.3 years) to Missouri (75.2 years); in the West from Hawaii to New Mexico (74.5 years); and in the Northeast from Massachusetts to Maine (76.6 years¹). Full rankings with the figures for men and women are on life expectancy by state.

Women outlive men in every state

Nationally, women's life expectancy in 2022 was 80.2 years and men's 74.8 years. Women live longer than men in all 50 states and DC, but the difference varies. It is narrowest in Utah, where women's life expectancy is 80.9 years and men's 77.3 years, the 2nd longest for men in the country. It is widest in New Mexico (78.1 years for women, 71.2 years¹ for men).

The ranking by sex also reshuffles the top. Hawaii leads for women (83.0 years), while Massachusetts leads for men (77.4 years), just ahead of Utah (77.3 years). At the bottom, men in West Virginia and Mississippi share the shortest figure, 69.5 years. The spread between states is wide enough that women in West Virginia (75.1 years) had a shorter life expectancy than men in Massachusetts (77.4 years¹).

The table below gathers the main vital statistics for every state. Sort it by any column.

Where adult obesity is most common

The CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) asks adults their height and weight by telephone and counts those whose body mass index falls in the obese range. In 2024 the median of the states and DC, the figure the CDC uses as its national summary, was 34.2%. The state shares run from 25.0% in Colorado to 41.4% in West Virginia⁶.

West Virginia41.4%

Mississippi40.4%

Louisiana39.2%

Alabama38.9%

Arkansas38.9%

Indiana38.4%

Kansas37.6%

Nebraska37.6%

Wisconsin37.4%

Kentucky37.2%

South Dakota37.0%

Ohio36.9%

United States34.2%

Source: CDC (BRFSS), BRFSS Prevalence Data. Period: 2024.

Show the numbers

State	Adult obesity (BRFSS, self-reported), 2024
West Virginia	41.4%
Mississippi	40.4%
Louisiana	39.2%
Alabama	38.9%
Arkansas	38.9%
Indiana	38.4%
Kansas	37.6%
Nebraska	37.6%
Wisconsin	37.4%
Kentucky	37.2%
South Dakota	37.0%
Ohio	36.9%
United States	34.2%

The top of the list is West Virginia (41.4%), Mississippi (40.4%) and Louisiana (39.2%), followed by Alabama and Arkansas (both 38.9%). The lowest shares are in Colorado (25.0%), the District of Columbia (25.5%), Massachusetts and Hawaii (both 27.0%). Tennessee is missing: the BRFSS published no Tennessee estimate for 2024, so this ranking covers 50⁶ places. Because height and weight are reported by the respondents, not measured, the shares are best used to compare states with each other. The full list is on obesity rate by state.

Birth rate and fertility rate rank states differently

Two measures answer the question of which states have the most births, and they disagree. The birth rate divides births by the whole population. The total fertility rate is the average number of children a woman would have over her life at the birth rates of one year, so it does not depend on how many residents are of childbearing age.

By birth rate, Utah led in 2024 with 13.3 per 1,000 residents, ahead of Texas (12.5 per 1,000 residents), Nebraska and South Dakota. The national rate was 10.7 per 1,000 residents. The lowest were in northern New England: Vermont (7.7 per 1,000 residents), Maine (8.3 per 1,000 residents) and New Hampshire (8.4 per 1,000 residents⁴).

By fertility rate, South Dakota is first at 2.04 children per woman, then Nebraska (1.92) and Idaho (1.82). Utah's fertility rate, 1.80, is only tied for 5th highest: the state has the youngest population of any state, which lifts its births per resident more than its births per woman. The District of Columbia shows the opposite pattern. Its birth rate, 10.8 per 1,000 residents, is close to the national figure, yet its fertility rate, 1.11, is the lowest in the nation⁴. The District has the highest share of working-age adults (68.5%⁷), which supports its births per resident, but each woman has few children on average.

South Dakota2.04

Nebraska1.92

Idaho1.82

North Dakota1.81

Iowa1.80

Utah1.80

Kentucky1.80

Alaska1.80

Kansas1.77

Indiana1.77

Texas1.77

Louisiana1.77

Arkansas1.76

Oklahoma1.76

Mississippi1.74

Tennessee1.72

Alabama1.72

Wyoming1.70

Hawaii1.68

Minnesota1.67

Missouri1.67

South Carolina1.67

North Carolina1.66

Ohio1.65

New Jersey1.64

Georgia1.64

West Virginia1.63

Delaware1.61

Virginia1.60

Wisconsin1.60

United States1.60

Maryland1.59

Montana1.59

Arizona1.57

New Mexico1.56

Florida1.55

Pennsylvania1.53

Michigan1.52

New York1.51

Colorado1.49

Washington1.48

Connecticut1.48

Nevada1.48

Illinois1.47

California1.46

Maine1.38

Massachusetts1.38

Oregon1.36

New Hampshire1.35

Rhode Island1.33

Vermont1.27

District of Columbia1.11

Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Births. Period: 2024.

Show the numbers

State	Births per woman
South Dakota	2.04
Nebraska	1.92
Idaho	1.82
North Dakota	1.81
Iowa	1.80
Utah	1.80
Kentucky	1.80
Alaska	1.80
Kansas	1.77
Indiana	1.77
Texas	1.77
Louisiana	1.77
Arkansas	1.76
Oklahoma	1.76
Mississippi	1.74
Tennessee	1.72
Alabama	1.72
Wyoming	1.70
Hawaii	1.68
Minnesota	1.67
Missouri	1.67
South Carolina	1.67
North Carolina	1.66
Ohio	1.65
New Jersey	1.64
Georgia	1.64
West Virginia	1.63
Delaware	1.61
Virginia	1.60
Wisconsin	1.60
United States	1.60
Maryland	1.59
Montana	1.59
Arizona	1.57
New Mexico	1.56
Florida	1.55
Pennsylvania	1.53
Michigan	1.52
New York	1.51
Colorado	1.49
Washington	1.48
Connecticut	1.48
Nevada	1.48
Illinois	1.47
California	1.46
Maine	1.38
Massachusetts	1.38
Oregon	1.36
New Hampshire	1.35
Rhode Island	1.33
Vermont	1.27
District of Columbia	1.11

The national fertility rate was 1.60 in 2024, and the median state was at 1.64⁴. Birth and fertility rates for every state are on birth rate by state.

Teen births and infant deaths

Two more measures from the birth and death records follow a similar geography. The teen birth rate, births per thousand females in their late teens, was 12.6 per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19 nationally in 2024. It was highest in Mississippi (22.8 per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19), Arkansas (22.2 per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19) and Louisiana (21.3 per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19), and lowest in New Hampshire (4.6 per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19), Massachusetts and Vermont. The rate in Mississippi was about five times that of New Hampshire⁴. See teen birth rate by state.

The infant mortality rate counts deaths before the first birthday per thousand live births. The national rate in 2024 was 5.5 per 1,000 live births; the median state's was 5.7 per 1,000 live births, and 31³ states, counting DC, had a rate above the national one.

Mississippi9.7

Arkansas8.3

Delaware7.8

Louisiana7.6

South Carolina7.5

Oklahoma7.4

South Dakota7.3

Alabama7.1

Alaska6.8

Ohio6.7

United States5.5

Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Stats of the States. Period: 2024.

Show the numbers

State	Infant mortality
Mississippi	9.7
Arkansas	8.3
Delaware	7.8
Louisiana	7.6
South Carolina	7.5
Oklahoma	7.4
South Dakota	7.3
Alabama	7.1
Alaska	6.8
Ohio	6.7
United States	5.5

Mississippi had the highest rate (9.7 per 1,000 live births), followed by Arkansas (8.3 per 1,000 live births), Delaware (7.8 per 1,000 live births), Louisiana and South Carolina. The lowest were New Hampshire (3.0 per 1,000 live births), New Jersey (3.4 per 1,000 live births) and Massachusetts (3.5 per 1,000 live births³). In small states a few deaths more or less can move the rate noticeably from one year to the next, so single-year ranks in the middle of the list should be read loosely. More on infant mortality by state.

The same states at the far end

Set side by side, these measures keep returning the same names. Mississippi has the highest infant mortality rate, the highest teen birth rate, the 2nd highest obesity rate and the 2nd shortest life expectancy. Arkansas is 2nd highest for infant mortality and 2nd highest for teen births; Louisiana is 3rd highest for obesity and 3rd highest for teen births; West Virginia has the shortest¹ life expectancy and the highest⁶ obesity rate. At the other end, New Hampshire has the lowest³ infant mortality rate and the lowest⁴ teen birth rate, and Massachusetts appears near the top on life expectancy and near the bottom on obesity, teen births and infant deaths.

These measures describe outcomes; they do not by themselves show causes. Income, age, education and access to care all differ between these states, and the income and poverty and education hubs show some of those differences.

Health insurance follows a different map

The share of residents without health insurance does not track the other measures. In 2025, 8.4% of Americans had no coverage, up from 8.2% in 2024. Texas had the highest share (16.5%, ±0.2 percentage points), followed by Alaska (13.6%), Oklahoma (12.6%), Arizona and Georgia. The lowest shares were in Massachusetts (2.7%, ±0.2 percentage points), Vermont (3.8%) and Hawaii (4.1%⁸).

Several states with short life expectancy have uninsured shares at or below the national one. West Virginia's is 6.9% (±0.4 percentage points), 1.5 percentage points below the US figure (8.4%), and Kentucky's 7.2%, 1.2 percentage points below the US figure (8.4%). Louisiana's, 8.1%, is not statistically different from the US figure (8.4%)⁸. In those three states a large share of residents have public coverage (Medicare, Medicaid or VA care): 45.5% in West Virginia, the 2nd highest share in the country, 44.2% in Louisiana and 43.1% in Kentucky, against 35.4%⁹ nationally.

TexasUnited StatesMassachusetts

Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2005-2019 and 2021-2025. ACS 1-year estimates; no standard 1-year release for 2020. Shaded band: 90% margin of error.

Show the numbers

Year	Texas	United States	Massachusetts
2008	24.1% ±0.2	15.1% ±0.1	4.1% ±0.2
2009	23.8% ±0.2	15.1% ±0.0	4.2% ±0.2
2010	23.7% ±0.2	15.5% ±0.0	4.4% ±0.2
2011	23.0% ±0.2	15.1% ±0.0	4.3% ±0.2
2012	22.5% ±0.2	14.8% ±0.0	3.9% ±0.1
2013	22.1% ±0.2	14.5% ±0.0	3.7% ±0.1
2014	19.1% ±0.1	11.7% ±0.0	3.3% ±0.1
2015	17.1% ±0.1	9.4% ±0.0	2.8% ±0.1
2016	16.6% ±0.1	8.6% ±0.0	2.5% ±0.1
2017	17.3% ±0.1	8.7% ±0.0	2.8% ±0.1
2018	17.7% ±0.2	8.9% ±0.0	2.8% ±0.1
2019	18.4% ±0.2	9.2% ±0.0	3.0% ±0.1
2021	18.0% ±0.2	8.6% ±0.0	2.5% ±0.1
2022	16.6% ±0.1	8.0% ±0.0	2.4% ±0.1
2023	16.4% ±0.1	7.9% ±0.0	2.6% ±0.1
2024	16.7% ±0.2	8.2% ±0.0	2.8% ±0.1
2025	16.5% ±0.2	8.4% ±0.0	2.7% ±0.2

Over the longer run, the national uninsured share went from 15.1% in 2008, the first year in this series, to 8.6% in 2016, with the largest fall between 2013 (14.5%) and 2015 (9.4%). Texas fell from 24.1% to 16.5%¹⁰ over the whole period and is still the highest. Children are less often uninsured than residents as a whole: 6.1% (±0.1 percentage points⁸) of children nationally had no coverage in 2025. State figures with margins of error are on uninsured rate by state.

Medicaid: what people report and what states enroll

Two sources count Medicaid, and their figures differ. The American Community Survey asks people what coverage they have. In 2025, 16.6% (±0.1 percentage points) of the population reported Medicaid, CHIP or other means-tested public coverage, from Utah (8.1%) to New Mexico (26.3%⁹).

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) count the people enrolled each month. In June 2026, 73.7 million people were enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, equal to 21.5% of the population. The highest share was in the District of Columbia (34.6%), then New York (32.0%) and New Mexico (31.8%); the lowest in Utah (9.2%), Wyoming (10.2%) and New Hampshire (12.0%¹¹).

The two do not match. In every state the June 2026 enrollment share is above the 2025 survey share, even though enrollment fell in most states between the two dates. In New York the survey gives 25.7% and the enrollment count 32.0%; in the District of Columbia 21.8%⁹ against 34.6%¹¹. Use the CMS count for how many people are enrolled and the survey to compare coverage with income, age or other characteristics.

Enrollment fell over the year. The national count went from 78.2 million in June 2025 to 73.7 million in June 2026, a change of −5.8%. The largest declines were in Indiana (−18.0%), Louisiana (−13.6%) and California (−12.2%); only Iowa (1.0%), Missouri (0.6%) and South Dakota (0.3%¹¹) recorded increases. Enrollment for every state, with SNAP, is on SNAP and Medicaid by state.

Death rates and natural change

The Census Bureau's population estimates count births and deaths in years running from July to June. In the year to June 2025 the national death rate was 9.1 per 1,000 residents. It was highest in West Virginia (14.1 per 1,000 residents), Mississippi (12.1 per 1,000 residents) and Maine (11.9 per 1,000 residents), and lowest in Utah (6.2 per 1,000 residents), the District of Columbia (7.0 per 1,000 residents) and California (7.3 per 1,000 residents⁵).

This is a crude rate, deaths per resident with no adjustment for age, so it mixes health with age structure. Maine, the oldest state by median age, has the 3rd highest death rate, while its life expectancy (76.6 years) is tied for 20th shortest¹, near the middle of the list. Utah, the youngest¹² state, has the lowest⁵ rate. Life expectancy is the better measure for comparing how long people live, because it is computed from death rates at each age.

Births minus deaths is the natural change of the population. Nationally it added 519,000 people in the year to June 2025. 17 states recorded more deaths than births: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia. Pennsylvania had the largest natural decrease (−10,708) and West Virginia the largest relative to its population (−4.5 per 1,000 residents⁵). Those states are examined in states with more deaths than births.

Where the figures come from

• Life expectancy: NCHS state life tables, 2022. Built from death certificates and population estimates for one calendar year. They lag several years behind other figures here, and state values have small standard errors, so neighbouring ranks can be interchangeable.
• Births, fertility and teen births: NCHS final birth data, 2024. Every birth certificate, counted by the mother's state of residence. NCHS counted 3,628,934⁴ births in calendar 2024. The Census Bureau's estimates, which use July-to-June years, give 3,620,461⁵ for the year to June 2025: the totals are close but cover different twelve months.
• Infant mortality: NCHS, Stats of the States, 2024. Deaths of infants under one year old per thousand live births in each state.
• Death rates and natural change: Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025. Each new vintage revises earlier years.
• Obesity: CDC BRFSS, 2024. A telephone survey of adults with self-reported height and weight; no Tennessee estimate for 2024.
• Health insurance and public coverage: American Community Survey, 2025. A survey of households, published with margins of error at the 90% confidence level; differences on this page are described as higher or lower only when they are statistically significant.
• Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: CMS, June 2026. Administrative counts of people enrolled; shares are divided by the July 1, 2025 population.

Vital statistics from birth and death certificates are complete counts, not samples, and carry no margin of error. Survey figures do. The two kinds should not be mixed in one comparison without saying so.