Massachusetts is the healthiest state in America, or the state that offers the most significant opportunities for well-being.
That’s the conclusion of a new survey released Tuesday by the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and digital health company Sharecare.
The pair used a proprietary process to assess the well-being of nearly 500,000 Americans from all 50 states in 2022, including in various areas including physical, social, community, purpose and financial. The researchers also evaluated each state’s ranking on social determinants of health, such as access to health care, food, resources, housing and transportation, and economic security.
Overall, the U.S. scored 60.7 out of 100, similar to its pre-pandemic score. The national rating was nearly the same as last year: 60.9. Physical health, social and community bonds, and a sense of purpose in daily life all saw statistically significant increases compared to the previous year.
But the financial situation plummeted. Michael Winter, associate director for statistical planning at the Center for Biostatistics and Epidemiological Data Analysis at the Bush School of Public Health, said in a press release that the trend reveals “an undercurrent of economic insecurity that may be related to inflation and ongoing economic uncertainty reminiscent of pre-pandemic times.” About the results.
“This year’s report highlights the importance of addressing all aspects of well-being, not just physical health but also financial stability and socioeconomic factors.”
For those who like a friendly battle between the coasts, the East Coast wins this one, with five states on the list, while the West Coast only has two states on the list. According to the list, the top 10 states:
The short list of top states is almost the same as in 2021. The only difference: Connecticut (No. 8 in 2021) and Washington State (No. 9 in 2021) swapped places in 2022.
In case you’re curious, these 10 states scored the lowest:
The list of lowest-ranked states in 2022 is the same as the 2021 list. These 10 states have been at the bottom of the list since 2020, although their positions have changed.
Mississippi has ranked near the bottom for the past four years, the report said. Factors included scoring in the lowest quintile in each category, as well as having the lowest scores nationally in financial security, community and access to food.
What’s so special about Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has topped the list for the past three years due to high scores on personal health indicators and social determinants of health. It ranks in the top 10 in eight of the 10 areas measured, including health care (No. 1), housing and transportation (No. 2), purpose (No. 7), finances (No. 3), physical (No. 3) 7th), society (9th), community (7th) and food access (8th).
Perhaps not so ironically, the state of Massachusetts—Cambridge, to be exact—is named of wealth The best place to live for families ranks No. 1 this year. Factors influencing the ranking include the state’s strong reputation for higher education, high median household income, low crime rate and quality public schools.
Another overlap: Maryland ranks No. 4 on Sharecare’s list, while Silver Spring, Md., ranks No. 3 on Sharecare’s list. of wealth It made the list thanks to its proximity to the Washington, D.C. metro and its culture, above-average high school graduation rate, and good quality of life for seniors.
Other overlapping top 10 states include California and New York.
The bottom 10 places on both lists also share some common ground, with Indiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana and New Mexico all appearing in both states.
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