• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
HealthPersonal Health, Fitness, and Wellness

Which U.S. state is the healthiest? The answer might surprise you—and one coast fares better than the other

By
Erin Prater
Erin Prater
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Erin Prater
Erin Prater
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 12, 2023, 7:30 AM ET
A runner jogs along a Mystic River Reservation footbridge at Sylvester Baxter Park in Somerville, Ma., on Aug. 3, 2020. Massachusetts is the healthiest state in the U.S.—or the one that offers the most significant opportunities for well-being, anyway, according to a new survey released Tuesday by the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and Sharecare, a digital health company.
A runner jogs along a Mystic River Reservation footbridge at Sylvester Baxter Park in Somerville, Ma., on Aug. 3, 2020. Massachusetts is the healthiest state in the U.S.—or the one that offers the most significant opportunities for well-being, anyway, according to a new survey released Tuesday by the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and Sharecare, a digital health company.Jessica Rinaldi—The Boston Globe/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Massachusetts is the healthiest state in the U.S.—or the one that offers the most significant opportunities for well-being, anyway.

Recommended Video

That’s according to a new survey released Tuesday by the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and Sharecare, a digital health company.

The duo used a proprietary process to assess the well-being of nearly a half million Americans surveyed from all 50 states in 2022 in a variety of domains, including physical, social, community, purpose, and financial. Researchers also assessed how each state ranked when it came to social determinants of health, like access to health care, food, resources, housing, and transportation, as well as economic security.

As a whole, the U.S. scored a 60.7 on a scale of 100—similar to scores it received before the pandemic. The national rating was nearly identical to the year prior’s: 60.9. Compared to the year before, physical health, social and community bonds, and sense of purpose in daily life all experienced statistically significant increases. 

But financial well-being saw a substantial decrease. The trend reveals “an undercurrent of economic insecurity possibly linked to inflation and ongoing economic uncertainty, reminiscent of pre-pandemic times,” Michael Winter, associate director of statistical programming at the Biostatistics & Epidemiology Data Analytics Center of BUSPH, said in a news release on the results.

“This year’s report highlights the importance of addressing all aspects of well-being, which extends beyond physical health to include financial stability and socioeconomic factors.”

For those who enjoy a friendly battle between coasts, the East Coast won this one, with five of its states making the list, compared to only two on the West Coast. The top 10 states, according to the list:

1. Massachusetts
2. Hawaii
3. New Jersey
4. Maryland
5. New York
6. California
7. Colorado
8. Washington
9. Connecticut
10. Utah

The short list of superlative states is nearly identical to 2021’s. The only difference: Connecticut, No. 8 in 2021, and Washington, No. 9 in 2021, swapped places in 2022.

In case you’re curious, these 10 states scored the lowest:

41. Indiana
42. Tennessee
43. Oklahoma
44. Louisiana
45. New Mexico
46. Alabama
47. Kentucky
48. West Virginia
49. Arkansas
50. Mississippi

The list of lowest-ranking states in 2022 is identical to 2021’s list. The same 10 states have been at the bottom of the list since 2020, though their positions have changed somewhat. 

Mississippi has held the bottom spot on the list for the past four years, according to the report. Contributing factors include bottom quintile scores in each category, and having the lowest scores nationwide when it comes to financial security, community, and food access.

What’s so special about Massachusetts?

Massachusetts has held the top spot on the list for the past three years due to high scores in both individual health measures and social determinants of health. It ranked in the top 10 in eight of 10 measured domains, including healthcare access (No. 1), housing and transportation (No. 2), purpose (No. 7), financial (No. 3), physical (No. 7), social (No. 9), community (No. 7), and food access (No. 8).

Perhaps not so ironically, Massachusetts—Cambridge, to be exact—was named Fortune’s No. 1 best place to live for families this year. Among factors contributing to the rank: the state’s excellent reputation in higher education, a high median household income, low crime rates, and quality public schools.

Another overlap: Maryland was ranked No. 4 on Sharecare’s list—and Silver Spring, Md., No. 3 on Fortune’s list, thanks to its proximity to the Washington, D.C., metro and the culture that accompanies it, above-average high school graduation rates, and good quality of living for seniors.

Other overlapping top 10 states include California and New York.

There were commonalities in both lists’ bottom 10 locations, too, with Indiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, and New Mexico appearing on both.

The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
About the Author
By Erin Prater
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

The 6 Best Exercise Bikes of 2026: Fitness Expert Reviewed
HealthDietary Supplements
The 6 Best Exercise Bikes of 2026: Fitness Expert Reviewed
By Christina SnyderJuly 1, 2026
15 hours ago
kean
PoliticsCongress
Tom Kean discloses depression diagnosis behind 4-month absence from Congress: ‘until you experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand’
By Mike Catalini, Joey Cappelletti and The Associated PressJune 30, 2026
2 days ago
‘Cop on your wrist’: Wearables offer tons of data, but people are still going to sleep to Netflix and TikTok
HealthBrainstorm Tech
‘Cop on your wrist’: Wearables offer tons of data, but people are still going to sleep to Netflix and TikTok
By Amanda GerutJune 29, 2026
3 days ago
usa
EnvironmentHeat
Long and dangerous heat wave to roast America from Dallas to New York through July 4th holiday
By Marc Levy and The Associated PressJune 29, 2026
3 days ago
France suffers 1,000 additional deaths in just the past week amid record heat wave—and 85% involved people aged 65 and above
EuropeWeather and forecasting
France suffers 1,000 additional deaths in just the past week amid record heat wave—and 85% involved people aged 65 and above
By Kirsten Grieshaber, John Leicester and The Associated PressJune 28, 2026
4 days ago
Peter Rahal speaks on stage in front of a black and purple background.
RetailFood and drink
David Protein CEO says ‘diet trends are over’ because of GLP-1s: ‘What’s next is really hard to predict’
By Sasha RogelbergJune 28, 2026
4 days ago

Most Popular

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
7 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
24 hours ago
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
Newsletters
The Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling hands the U.S. economy a $7.7 trillion win
By Diane BradyJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
5 days ago
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.