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

2002 HEALTHIEST STATE AWARD

ALPHA ORDER

RANK ORDER

2002 RANK

STATE

SUM

2001 RANK

CHANGE

 

2002 RANK

STATE

SUM

2001 RANK

CHANGE

47

Alabama

-13.53

47

0

 

1

Vermont

16.26

1

0

29

Alaska

-0.17

37

8

 

2

Minnesota

15.91

2

0

35

Arizona

-2.59

28

-7

 

3

Iowa

15.78

5

2

40

Arkansas

-5.94

40

0

 

4

New Hampshire

15.54

3

-1

13

California

8.39

17

4

 

5

Nebraska

14.42

6

1

21

Colorado

4.12

21

0

 

6

Hawaii

13.56

4

-2

8

Connecticut

11.02

14

6

 

7

North Dakota

12.24

9

2

43

Delaware

-8.96

43

0

 

8

Connecticut

11.02

14

6

44

Florida

-9.56

44

0

 

9

Massachusetts

10.83

10

1

41

Georgia

-7.51

41

0

 

10

Utah

10.42

12

2

6

Hawaii

13.56

4

-2

 

11

Maine

10.40

8

-3

22

Idaho

3.88

26

4

 

12

Kansas

8.84

7

-5

31

Illinois

-1.25

32

1

 

13

California

8.39

17

4

28

Indiana

0.33

29

1

 

14

Washington

8.13

11

-3

3

Iowa

15.78

5

2

 

15

New Jersey

8.09

16

1

12

Kansas

8.84

7

-5

 

16

Rhode Island

7.15

15

-1

33

Kentucky

-1.71

31

-2

 

17

Montana

6.91

13

-4

49

Louisiana

-17.25

48

-1

 

18

Oregon

6.81

18

0

11

Maine

10.40

8

-3

 

19

Virginia

5.74

18

-1

37

Maryland

-3.81

33

-4

 

20

South Dakota

4.77

23

3

9

Massachusetts

10.83

10

1

 

21

Colorado

4.12

21

0

27

Michigan

2.64

27

0

 

22

Idaho

3.88

26

4

2

Minnesota

15.91

2

0

 

23

Pennsylvania

3.74

20

-3

50

Mississippi

-18.59

50

0

 

24

Ohio

3.63

22

-2

39

Missouri

-4.50

38

-1

 

25

Wyoming

3.61

25

0

17

Montana

6.91

13

-4

 

26

Wisconsin

3.26

24

-2

5

Nebraska

14.42

6

1

 

27

Michigan

2.64

27

0

46

Nevada

-11.78

46

0

 

28

Indiana

0.33

29

1

4

New Hampshire

15.54

3

-1

 

29

Alaska

-0.17

37

8

15

New Jersey

8.09

16

1

 

30

West Virginia

-1.21

30

0

48

New Mexico

-16.07

45

-3

 

31

Illinois

-1.25

32

1

38

New York

-4.22

34

-4

 

32

Oklahoma

-1.69

36

4

34

North Carolina

-2.19

35

1

 

33

Kentucky

-1.71

31

-2

7

North Dakota

12.24

9

2

 

34

North Carolina

-2.19

35

1

24

Ohio

3.63

22

-2

 

35

Arizona

-2.59

28

-7

32

Oklahoma

-1.69

36

4

 

36

Tennessee

-2.86

39

3

18

Oregon

6.81

18

0

 

37

Maryland

-3.81

33

-4

23

Pennsylvania

3.74

20

-3

 

38

New York

-4.22

34

-4

16

Rhode Island

7.15

15

-1

 

39

Missouri

-4.50

38

-1

45

South Carolina

-10.19

49

4

 

40

Arkansas

-5.94

40

0

20

South Dakota

4.77

23

3

 

41

Georgia

-7.51

41

0

36

Tennessee

-2.86

39

3

 

42

Texas

-7.93

42

0

42

Texas

-7.93

42

0

 

43

Delaware

-8.96

43

0

10

Utah

10.42

12

2

 

44

Florida

-9.56

44

0

1

Vermont

16.26

1

0

 

45

South Carolina

-10.19

49

4

19

Virginia

5.74

18

-1

 

46

Nevada

-11.78

46

0

14

Washington

8.13

11

-3

 

47

Alabama

-13.53

47

0

30

West Virginia

-1.21

30

0

 

48

New Mexico

-16.07

45

-3

26

Wisconsin

3.26

24

-2

 

49

Louisiana

-17.25

48

-1

25

Wyoming

3.61

25

0

 

50

Mississippi

-18.59

50

0

METHODOLOGY--The Healthiest State designation is awarded based on 21 factors chosen from the year 2002 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 2002 Healthiest State Award as well as its placement in 2001.