We appreciate you taking the time to help America’s Health Rankings better understand our audiences. Your feedback will allow us to optimize our website and provide you with additional resources in the future. Thank you.
Explore national- and state-level data for hundreds of health, environmental and socioeconomic measures, including background information about each measure. Use features on this page to find measures; view subpopulations, trends and rankings; and download and share content.
United States Value:
Percentage of women ages 40-74 who reported receiving a mammogram in the past two years and percentage of adults ages 45-75 who reported receiving colorectal cancer screening within the recommended time period
Percentage of women ages 40-74 who reported receiving a mammogram in the past two years and percentage of adults who have not served in the U.S. armed forces ages 45-75 who reported receiving colorectal cancer screening within the recommended time period
75.2% - 67.5%
67.4% - 64.4%
64.3% - 62.4%
62.3% - 59.6%
59.5% - 52.5%
No Data
US Value: 64.5 %
Top State(s): Rhode Island: 75.2 %
Bottom State(s): Wyoming: 54.7 %
Definition: Percentage of women ages 40-74 who reported receiving a mammogram in the past two years and percentage of adults ages 45-75 who reported receiving colorectal cancer screening within the recommended time period
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.
Cancer has consistently remained one of the top two leading causes of death in the United States for over 75 years. Cancer screenings can help detect cancer early, when treatment is most effective. Both mammography and colorectal screening have been found to be cost-effective methods of reducing deaths from these cancers, which are among the most common types.
Despite the effectiveness in preventing cancers, mammography and colorectal cancer screening rates remain below national targets. These worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a sharp decline in 2020. In 2023, breast and colorectal cancer screening rates rebounded and are now higher than before the pandemic.
Barriers to receiving cancer screenings include lack of insurance, inconvenient clinic hours, language barriers, mistrust in the medical system and lack of a usual source of care.
According to America’s Health Rankings data, the prevalence of cancer screening is higher among:
In 2024, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released final updated recommendations for breast cancer screening, lowering the screening age from 50 to 40 based on more recent, more inclusive research. USPSTF now recommends that all women ages 40-75 be screened for breast cancer every other year. Current evidence is insufficient to assess if the benefits of mammography outweigh the harms for women age 75 and older. Routine colorectal cancer screening is also recommended for all adults ages 45-75; for adults older than 75, it is an individual choice to be discussed with a doctor.
The Community Guide highlights evidence-based community-level interventions as a way to increase cancer screening, including engaging community health workers, utilizing client reminders and incentives and educating patients in one-on-one settings.
The Return-to-Screening Quality Improvement Collaborative has demonstrated significant increases in cancer screening volume at hospitals recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Healthy People 2030 has several objectives regarding cancer screenings, including:
Hall, Ingrid J., Florence K. L. Tangka, Susan A. Sabatino, Trevor D. Thompson, Barry I. Graubard, and Nancy Breen. “Patterns and Trends in Cancer Screening in the United States.” Preventing Chronic Disease 15 (July 26, 2018): 170465. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd15.170465.
Joung, Rachel Hae-Soo, Timothy W. Mullett, Scott H. Kurtzman, Sarah Shafir, James B. Harris, Katharine A. Yao, Karl Y. Bilimoria, et al. “Evaluation of a National Quality Improvement Collaborative for Improving Cancer Screening.” JAMA Network Open 5, no. 11 (November 16, 2022): e2242354. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.42354.
Ran, Tao, Chih-Yuan Cheng, Benjamin Misselwitz, Hermann Brenner, Jasper Ubels, and Michael Schlander. “Cost-Effectiveness of Colorectal Cancer Screening Strategies—A Systematic Review.” Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 17, no. 10 (September 2019): 1969-1981.e15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2019.01.014.
Rim, Sun Hee, Benjamin T. Allaire, Donatus U. Ekwueme, Jacqueline W. Miller, Sujha Subramanian, Ingrid J. Hall, and Thomas J. Hoerger. “Cost-Effectiveness of Breast Cancer Screening in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.” Cancer Causes & Control 30, no. 8 (August 2019): 819–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-019-01178-y.
Sabatino, Susan A., Trevor D. Thompson, Jennifer M. Croswell, Maria A. Villarroel, Juan L. Rodriguez, Emily E. Adam, and Lisa C. Richardson. “Use of Cancer Screening Tests, United States, 2023.” Preventing Chronic Disease 22 (August 14, 2025): 250139.https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd22.250139.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
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.
