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Click Here for the Complete 2004 Healthiest State Awards Publication Press Release | Factors | MQ Home | Healthiest State Rankings 1993 to 2004 | Methodology | About Us |
|
2004 HEALTHIEST STATE |
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|
ALPHA ORDER |
|
RANK ORDER |
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|
2004 RANK |
STATE |
SUM |
2003 RANK |
CHANGE |
|
2004 RANK |
STATE |
SUM |
2003 RANK |
CHANGE |
|
47 |
Alabama |
(13.42) |
47 |
0 |
|
1 |
New Hampshire |
19.86 |
2 |
1 |
|
35 |
Alaska |
(4.01) |
36 |
1 |
|
2 |
Vermont |
19.66 |
1 |
-1 |
|
40 |
Arizona |
(7.40) |
41 |
1 |
|
3 |
Hawaii |
15.33 |
8 |
5 |
|
38 |
Arkansas |
(6.71) |
43 |
5 |
|
4 |
Iowa |
15.03 |
4 |
0 |
|
14 |
California |
8.45 |
14 |
0 |
|
5 |
Minnesota |
14.28 |
5 |
0 |
|
27 |
Colorado |
1.54 |
25 |
-2 |
|
6 |
Utah |
14.01 |
9 |
3 |
|
10 |
Connecticut |
9.73 |
11 |
1 |
|
7 |
Nebraska |
13.83 |
3 |
-4 |
|
44 |
Delaware |
(9.58) |
38 |
-6 |
|
8 |
Massachusetts |
13.67 |
6 |
-2 |
|
41 |
Florida |
(7.55) |
44 |
3 |
|
9 |
Maine |
12.05 |
7 |
-2 |
|
42 |
Georgia |
(8.51) |
42 |
0 |
|
10 |
Connecticut |
9.73 |
11 |
1 |
|
3 |
Hawaii |
15.33 |
8 |
5 |
|
11 |
New Jersey |
9.67 |
16 |
5 |
|
20 |
Idaho |
5.46 |
21 |
1 |
|
12 |
North Dakota |
8.86 |
10 |
-2 |
|
31 |
Illinois |
(0.20) |
32 |
1 |
|
13 |
Washington |
8.76 |
12 |
-1 |
|
28 |
Indiana |
1.41 |
27 |
-1 |
|
14 |
California |
8.45 |
14 |
0 |
|
4 |
Iowa |
15.03 |
4 |
0 |
|
15 |
Oregon |
7.95 |
19 |
4 |
|
17 |
Kansas |
6.97 |
15 |
-2 |
|
16 |
Wyoming |
7.07 |
20 |
4 |
|
29 |
Kentucky |
0.45 |
31 |
2 |
|
17 |
Kansas |
6.97 |
15 |
-2 |
|
48 |
Louisiana |
(13.84) |
49 |
1 |
|
18 |
Rhode Island |
6.78 |
17 |
-1 |
|
9 |
Maine |
12.05 |
7 |
-2 |
|
19 |
South Dakota |
5.86 |
13 |
-6 |
|
32 |
Maryland |
(0.97) |
35 |
3 |
|
20 |
Idaho |
5.46 |
21 |
1 |
|
8 |
Massachusetts |
13.67 |
6 |
-2 |
|
21 |
Wisconsin |
5.09 |
23 |
2 |
|
25 |
Michigan |
2.48 |
28 |
3 |
|
22 |
Virginia |
3.90 |
22 |
0 |
|
5 |
Minnesota |
14.28 |
5 |
0 |
|
23 |
Montana |
3.68 |
18 |
-5 |
|
50 |
Mississippi |
(19.21) |
50 |
0 |
|
24 |
Ohio |
3.00 |
26 |
2 |
|
37 |
Missouri |
(4.94) |
34 |
-3 |
|
25 |
Michigan |
2.48 |
28 |
3 |
|
23 |
Montana |
3.68 |
18 |
-5 |
|
26 |
Pennsylvania |
1.84 |
24 |
-2 |
|
7 |
Nebraska |
13.83 |
3 |
-4 |
|
27 |
Colorado |
1.54 |
25 |
-2 |
|
45 |
Nevada |
(10.51) |
45 |
0 |
|
28 |
Indiana |
1.41 |
27 |
-1 |
|
1 |
New Hampshire |
19.86 |
2 |
1 |
|
29 |
Kentucky |
0.45 |
31 |
2 |
|
11 |
New Jersey |
9.67 |
16 |
5 |
|
30 |
North Carolina |
(0.17) |
29 |
-1 |
|
49 |
New Mexico |
(14.34) |
46 |
-3 |
|
31 |
Illinois |
(0.20) |
32 |
1 |
|
33 |
New York |
(2.00) |
33 |
0 |
|
32 |
Maryland |
(0.97) |
35 |
3 |
|
30 |
North Carolina |
(0.17) |
29 |
-1 |
|
33 |
New York |
(2.00) |
33 |
0 |
|
12 |
North Dakota |
8.86 |
10 |
-2 |
|
34 |
West Virginia |
(2.73) |
30 |
-4 |
|
24 |
Ohio |
3.00 |
26 |
2 |
|
35 |
Alaska |
(4.01) |
36 |
1 |
|
39 |
Oklahoma |
(6.77) |
40 |
1 |
|
36 |
Tennessee |
(4.26) |
37 |
1 |
|
15 |
Oregon |
7.95 |
19 |
4 |
|
37 |
Missouri |
(4.94) |
34 |
-3 |
|
26 |
Pennsylvania |
1.84 |
24 |
-2 |
|
38 |
Arkansas |
(6.71) |
43 |
5 |
|
18 |
Rhode Island |
6.78 |
17 |
-1 |
|
39 |
Oklahoma |
(6.77) |
40 |
1 |
|
46 |
South Carolina |
(12.95) |
48 |
2 |
|
40 |
Arizona |
(7.40) |
41 |
1 |
|
19 |
South Dakota |
5.86 |
13 |
-6 |
|
41 |
Florida |
(7.55) |
44 |
3 |
|
36 |
Tennessee |
(4.26) |
37 |
1 |
|
42 |
Georgia |
(8.51) |
42 |
0 |
|
42 |
Texas |
(8.51) |
39 |
-3 |
|
42 |
Texas |
(8.51) |
39 |
-3 |
|
6 |
Utah |
14.01 |
9 |
3 |
|
44 |
Delaware |
(9.58) |
38 |
-6 |
|
2 |
Vermont |
19.66 |
1 |
-1 |
|
45 |
Nevada |
(10.51) |
45 |
0 |
|
22 |
Virginia |
3.90 |
22 |
0 |
|
46 |
South Carolina |
(12.95) |
48 |
2 |
|
13 |
Washington |
8.76 |
12 |
-1 |
|
47 |
Alabama |
(13.42) |
47 |
0 |
|
34 |
West Virginia |
(2.73) |
30 |
-4 |
|
48 |
Louisiana |
(13.84) |
49 |
1 |
|
21 |
Wisconsin |
5.09 |
23 |
2 |
|
49 |
New Mexico |
(14.34) |
46 |
-3 |
|
16 |
Wyoming |
7.07 |
20 |
4 |
|
50 |
Mississippi |
(19.21) |
50 |
0 |
| METHODOLOGY--The
Healthiest State designation is awarded based on 21 factors
chosen from the year 2004 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 Safest/Most Dangerous State and Safest/Most
Dangerous City
Awards.
The table above shows how each state fared in the 2004 Healthiest State Award as well as its placement in 2003. |
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