2nd Annual Most Improved State

MOST IMPROVED STATE AWARD 3rd Edition
ALPHA ORDER			RANK ORDER
RANK	STATE	SCORE	RANK	STATE	SCORE
36	Alabama	23.58	1	Florida	37.08
43	Alaska	20.10	2	New York	34.17
18	Arizona	28.33	3	Michigan	33.64
25	Arkansas	27.00	4	North Carolina	32.25
20	California	28.08	5	Virginia	31.75
33	Colorado	25.08	6	Texas	31.50
12	Connecticut	29.67	7	Illinois	31.30
11	Delaware	29.92	8	New Jersey	31.25
1	Florida	37.08	9	Louisiana	30.75
17	Georgia	28.58	10	Wyoming	30.42
45	Hawaii	18.36	11	Delaware	29.92
29	Idaho	26.00	12	Connecticut	29.67
7	Illinois	31.30	12	Kansas	29.67
37	Indiana	23.25	14	Nevada	29.00
18	Iowa	28.33	15	Ohio	28.90
12	Kansas	29.67	16	Massachusetts	28.83
39	Kentucky	21.83	17	Georgia	28.58
9	Louisiana	30.75	18	Arizona	28.33
47	Maine	17.50	18	Iowa	28.33
23	Maryland	27.83	20	California	28.08
16	Massachusetts	28.83	20	Pennsylvania	28.08
3	Michigan	33.64	22	Vermont	27.91
26	Minnesota	26.75	23	Maryland	27.83
38	Mississippi	22.67	24	Rhode Island	27.73
39	Missouri	21.83	25	Arkansas	27.00
42	Montana	21.73	26	Minnesota	26.75
29	Nebraska	26.00	27	Tennessee	26.42
14	Nevada	29.00	28	Oregon	26.36
41	New Hampshire	21.82	29	Idaho	26.00
8	New Jersey	31.25	29	Nebraska	26.00
48	New Mexico	17.08	31	Utah	25.75
2	New York	34.17	32	Washington	25.58
4	North Carolina	32.25	33	Colorado	25.08
46	North Dakota	18.33	34	South Carolina	24.08
15	Ohio	28.90	35	West Virginia	24.00
50	Oklahoma	16.30	36	Alabama	23.58
28	Oregon	26.36	37	Indiana	23.25
20	Pennsylvania	28.08	38	Mississippi	22.67
24	Rhode Island	27.73	39	Kentucky	21.83
34	South Carolina	24.08	39	Missouri	21.83
49	South Dakota	17.00	41	New Hampshire	21.82
27	Tennessee	26.42	42	Montana	21.73
6	Texas	31.50	43	Alaska	20.10
31	Utah	25.75	44	Wisconsin	19.83
22	Vermont	27.91	45	Hawaii	18.36
5	Virginia	31.75	46	North Dakota	18.33
32	Washington	25.58	47	Maine	17.50
35	West Virginia	24.00	48	New Mexico	17.08
44	Wisconsin	19.83	49	South Dakota	17.00
10	Wyoming	30.42	50	Oklahoma	16.30

METHODOLOGY: To determine a state's Improvement Score, each state's rankings for 12 factors were averaged. The scale is 1 to 50, the higher the number, the better. Data used are for the most recent 10-year period for which comparable numbers are available from most states. All factors were given equal weight. States with no data available for a given category were ranked based only on the remaining factors. In our book, data are listed from highest to lowest. However, for purposes of this award, we inverted rankings for those factors we determined to be "positive." Thus the state with the greatest increase in the percent of its children immunized would be ranked 1st in the book but would be given a number 50 ranking for this award.

The results shown in the table above reflect the improvement in a state, not how a state would rank if current data for the 12 factors were used.

Please note that this award is not comparable to our previous Most Improved State awards as the factors are different. Our other awards (e.g. Most Livable State) are comparable through the years. However, the factors reviewed in the annual State Trends publication will change each year in an effort to periodically review as many factors as possible.

Which State Is The Most Improved?

"1" is Most Improved