Introduction

• Premature death, drug death, firearm and homicide rates all improved.
• The prevalence of multiple chronic conditions increased.
• Behavioral health measures depression, excessive drinking, frequent mental distress, non-medical drug use and suicide remained stable.
• Volunteerism increased, while homelessness and unemployment rose.
• The supply of mental health providers continued to grow, and the prevalence of adults who received recommended cancer screenings increased. However, more adults avoided needed care due to cost, and the percentage of people who were uninsured increased.
• Physical inactivity among adults improved. Cigarette smoking continued to decrease, but e-cigarette use increased.
• Air pollution increased after reaching a low during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drinking water violations decreased, and renewable energy production continued to rise.

For decades, America’s Health Rankings has compiled reliable information from a variety of sources to inform the nation’s understanding of key drivers of health, helping assess the progress we’ve made and the critical opportunities that remain. This unique resource equips public health leaders with actionable information and trends they can use to understand the key differences in health and well-being between states and populations across our great nation. What makes America’s Health Rankings especially valuable is its ability to turn complex data into clear, actionable insights to help leaders move between evidence and impact. 

By translating information into action, America’s Health Rankings continues to be an essential cornerstone underlying the progress that has been made in advancing the health and well-being of all Americans.

- Jonathan Fielding, MD, Distinguished Professor of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health

Users can explore population data by metropolitan status for a variety of measures by looking for this icon throughout the Executive Brief, State Summaries and report.

• Ninety-nine measures. These include 50 ranking and 49 unweighted measures (not included in a state’s overall rank). For a complete list of measures, definitions and source details, see the Measures Table and Data Source Descriptions.
• Five categories of health. These comprise Health Outcomes and four categories of health determinants: Social and Economic Factors, Physical Environment, Behaviors and Clinical Care.
• Thirty-one sources. Data are from multiple sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

• Presenting a holistic view of health. This report goes beyond measures of clinical care and health behaviors by considering social, economic and physical environment measures, reflecting the impact of social drivers of health.
• Providing a benchmark for states. Each year, the report presents strengths, challenges and key findings for every state and the District of Columbia. Public health leaders can monitor health trends over time and compare their state with other states and the nation. State Summaries containing data on all 50 ranking measures are available on the website as a separate download.
• Highlighting differences. The report shows differences in health between states and among demographic groups at state and national levels, with groupings based on race/ethnicity, gender, age, disability status, educational attainment, income level, metropolitan status, sexual orientation and veteran status.
• Stimulating action. The report aims to drive change and improve health by promoting data-driven discussions among individuals, community leaders, public health workers, policymakers and the media. States can incorporate the report into their annual review of programs, and many organizations use it as a reference when assigning goals for health improvement plans.

America’s Health Rankings is built upon the World Health Organization’s definition of health

: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”¹

The model was developed under the guidance of the America’s Health Rankings Advisory Council and Committees, with insights from other rankings and health models, particularly County Health Rankings & Roadmaps

and Healthy People

. The model serves as a framework across all America’s Health Rankings reports for identifying and quantifying the drivers and outcomes that impact state and national population health.

Supporting Healthy People 2030

Healthy People 2030 is an initiative led by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that sets data-driven national objectives for the nation’s health and well-being over the next decade, with a key focus on addressing the social determinants of health. For nearly five decades, Healthy People’s national-level objectives have served as valuable benchmarks for advancing health and well-being at the state level. It also provides data to track the nation’s progress toward achieving those goals, as well as tools that help guide individuals, organizations and communities to do so. As a long-standing champion of public health and the HHS Healthy People 2030 goals, the United Health Foundation is honored to be recognized as a Healthy People 2030 Champion

.

Definitions, Limitations and Methodology
For details on demographic group definitions and limitations, data sources and methodology, please refer to the Appendix.