The Healthiest States in America [2023 Study]

The Healthiest States in America

America isn't exactly known as the land of the healthy, but many still take care of themselves and actively try to live healthy lives. Health & wellness are no joke; maintaining a healthy lifestyle takes a disciplined commitment. However, everyone can benefit from getting in shape and feeling better about themselves. 


At Ensō Superfoods, we take pride in helping people reach their nutritional goals, and we couldn't help but wonder how Americans across the country treat their health. We've compiled the fruit & vegetable consumption, obesity, and physical activity national statistics to understand America's healthiest (and unhealthiest) states, and the results may surprise you! 

Interesting Findings

  • The healthiest state in America, Vermont, also ranks as the highest fruit-consuming and physically active state.
  • The neighboring states, New York and New Jersey, tie as the fifth least obese state. 
  • In comparison, Mississippi ranks as the most obese and least healthy state in America.
  • Over 80% of Utah residents engage in physical activity during their leisure time–the most in America. 
  • The Northeast loves vegetables–Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts are the top three vegetable-consuming states.
  • Montana ranks within the top 10 of every health category except for vegetable consumption. 

Methodology

We analyzed CDC data surrounding health topics for adults. We ranked each data set, number one being the healthiest state, then combined the rankings to get an average ranking. We then gave a final ranking based on the average overall ranking. For states that didn't have available data in individual data sets, we took the overall average of the states with available data.

The data sets we analyzed are:

  • CDC: The Percentage of Adults Report Consuming Fruit Less That One Time Daily
    • State with no data available: New Jersey
  • CDC: The Percentage of Adults Report Consuming Vegetables Less That One Time Daily
    • State with no data available: New Jersey
  • CDC: The Percent of Adults Who Have Obesity
  • CDC: The percent of adults who achieve at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity and engage in muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week
    • State with no data available: New Jersey
  • CDC: The Percent of Adults Who Engage in No Leisure-Time Physical Activity
    • State with no data available: New Jersey

Final Rankings

State

Final Rank

Average Rank

Vermont

1

3.2

District of Columbia

2

4.2

Colorado

3

6.8

New Hampshire

4

7.8

Washington

5

8.6

Oregon

6

9.4

Minnesota

7

10.2

Montana

8

10.4

Connecticut

9

10.6

Massachusetts

10

11.4

Utah

11

12

Idaho

12

15.8

Florida

13

16.2

New York

14

16.6

Alaska

15

17.4

Hawaii

15

17.4

Maryland

15

17.4

Rhode Island

16

17.6

Arizona

17

18.2

Maine

18

18.4

New Jersey

18

18.4

Virginia

18

18.4

Wyoming

18

18.4

California

19

19.6

Pennsylvania

20

19.8

Wisconsin

21

20

North Carolina

22

20.6

Delaware

23

23.2

Michigan

23

23.2

South Dakota

23

23.2

Illinois

24

23.6

New Mexico

25

23.8

Georgia

26

25

Nebraska

27

26

Kansas

28

27.6

South Carolina

29

27.8

Tennessee

30

28.4

Texas

31

28.6

Nevada

32

28.8

North Dakota

33

29.2

Ohio

33

29.2

Missouri

34

29.4

Iowa

35

30.8

Indiana

36

32

Kentucky

37

34.8

West Virginia

38

35

Arkansas

39

35.6

Alabama

40

37.6

Oklahoma

40

37.6

Louisiana

41

39.6

Mississippi

42

40.6

Consumption Rankings

State

Fruit Consumption

Vegetable Consumption

Vermont

1

2

District of Columbia

6

6

Colorado

13

15

New Hampshire

7

4

Washington

10

14

Oregon

8

5

Minnesota

5

22

Montana

27

8

Connecticut

3

18

Massachusetts

2

3

Utah

11

25

Idaho

12

7

Florida

17

25

New York

4

28

Alaska

33

14

Hawaii

24

30

Maryland

14

25

Rhode Island

9

22

Arizona

18

29

Maine

5

1

New Jersey

22

19

Virginia

17

11

Wyoming

31

12

California

10

39

Pennsylvania

15

17

Wisconsin

19

34

North Carolina

16

9

Delaware

13

21

Michigan

23

23

South Dakota

20

10

Illinois

17

37

New Mexico

35

38

Georgia

35

14

Nebraska

21

24

Kansas

29

19

South Carolina

36

13

Tennessee

34

14

Texas

28

36

Nevada

37

40

North Dakota

26

31

Ohio

32

20

Missouri

31

14

Iowa

25

33

Indiana

30

25

Kentucky

38

16

West Virginia

40

17

Arkansas

41

27

Alabama

39

32

Oklahoma

44

26

Louisiana

42

41

Mississippi

43

35

Fitness Ranking

State

Obesity

Meet Physical Activity Guidelines

No Physical Activity During Leisure Time

Vermont

5

1

7

District of Columbia

2

4

3

Colorado

1

3

2

New Hampshire

14

6

8

Washington

7

8

4

Oregon

8

12

14

Minnesota

7

11

6

Montana

10

2

5

Connecticut

13

7

12

Massachusetts

3

25

24

Utah

11

12

1

Idaho

20

27

13

Florida

9

5

25

New York

5

17

29

Alaska

22

10

8

Hawaii

4

13

16

Maryland

19

18

11

Rhode Island

15

17

25

Arizona

18

11

15

Maine

19

32

35

New Jersey

6

23

22

Virginia

23

23

18

Wyoming

17

15

17

California

16

24

9

Pennsylvania

21

26

20

Wisconsin

23

14

10

North Carolina

27

28

23

Delaware

37

19

26

Michigan

30

21

19

South Dakota

26

26

34

Illinois

24

20

20

New Mexico

18

9

19

Georgia

29

17

30

Nebraska

28

30

27

Kansas

31

31

28

South Carolina

35

22

33

Tennessee

33

26

35

Texas

34

16

29

Nevada

12

34

21

North Dakota

25

33

31

Ohio

32

30

32

Missouri

28

38

36

Iowa

37

34

25

Indiana

39

29

37

Kentucky

38

41

41

West Virginia

42

38

38

Arkansas

36

36

38

Alabama

41

37

39

Oklahoma

36

40

42

Louisiana

40

35

40

Mississippi

43

39

43