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United States Value:
Percentage of adults age 65 and older who reported receiving a seasonal flu vaccine in the past 12 months
Percentage of adults age 65 and older with an annual household income of $100,000 to $149,999 who reported receiving a seasonal flu vaccine in the past 12 months
83.0% - 77.7%
77.6% - 72.6%
72.5% - 70.7%
70.6% - 65.2%
65.1% - 54.8%
No Data
US Value: 62.5%
Top State(s): Vermont: 73.1%
Bottom State(s): Alaska: 52.0%
Definition: Percentage of adults age 65 and older who reported receiving a seasonal flu vaccine in the past 12 months
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2024
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2026.
Immune defense systems weaken with age, putting older adults at increased risk of developing serious health complications from influenza (the seasonal flu). The flu vaccine helps protect against the influenza virus, lowering the risk of infection and lessening the severity of symptoms in those who do get sick. During the 2023-2024 flu season, flu vaccinations prevented nearly 6,000 influenza-related deaths among adults age 65 and older in the United States, as well as approximately 780,000 illnesses, 436,000 medical visits and 64,000 hospitalizations.
The rate of flu-related deaths is highest among older adults: It is estimated that 50%-70% of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations and 70%-85% of seasonal flu-related deaths occur among those age 65 and older.
According to a 2021 study, adults hospitalized with the flu who received the flu vaccine had a 26% lower risk of intensive care unit admission and a 31% lower risk of death compared with unvaccinated individuals.
The average annual economic burden of influenza among older adults in the U.S. is $2.4 billion, including direct medical costs and productivity losses. Flu vaccination is a cost-effective intervention, with direct savings estimated at more than $100 for every older adult who receives the vaccine.
According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of receiving a seasonal flu vaccine is higher among:
It is recommended that everyone older than 6 months get a flu shot every flu season (usually starting in September or October) unless told otherwise by a doctor. There are three flu vaccine options that are more highly recommended for adults age 65 and older: high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (Fluzone High-Dose Trivalent), recombinant influenza vaccine (Flublok Trivalent) and adjuvanted inactivated influenza vaccine (Fluad). Evidence suggests that receiving one of these formulations is more effective than the standard flu vaccine for older adults.
Medicare covers the cost of one flu shot every flu season. Efforts to increase flu vaccination among older adults with low vaccination coverage involve delivering vaccines in informal and trusted community-based settings. This approach may also help to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in flu vaccination rates.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers many flu resources, including treatment and prevention strategies for health care providers and the general public.
Healthy People 2030 has a goal to increase the percentage of people who receive an annual influenza vaccine.
Duncan, Ian G., Michael S. Taitel, Junjie Zhang, and Heather S. Kirkham. “Planning Influenza Vaccination Programs: A Cost Benefit Model.” Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation 10, no. 1 (2012): 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-7547-10-10.
Ferdinands, Jill M., Mark G. Thompson, Lenee Blanton, Sarah Spencer, Lauren Grant, and Alicia M. Fry. “Does Influenza Vaccination Attenuate the Severity of Breakthrough Infections? A Narrative Review and Recommendations for Further Research.” Vaccine 39, no. 28 (June 2021): 3678–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.05.011.
Putri, Wayan C. W. S., David J. Muscatello, Melissa S. Stockwell, and Anthony T. Newall. “Economic Burden of Seasonal Influenza in the United States.” Vaccine 36, no. 27 (June 22, 2018): 3960–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.05.057.
Shenson, Douglas, Mary Adams, Julie Bolen, Karen Wooten, Juliana Clough, Wayne H. Giles, and Lynda Anderson. “Developing an Integrated Strategy to Reduce Ethnic and Racial Disparities in the Delivery of Clinical Preventive Services for Older Americans.” American Journal of Public Health 102, no. 8 (August 2012): e44–50.https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300701.
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We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.
