These Are America's Healthiest And Least Healthy States

If you had to bet on the healthiest states, which would they be? New York, where yoga pants are acceptable brunch attire? Or perhaps California, given that Los Angeles is basically wellness Disneyland? Well, the carefully collated results of this year’s research by the United Health Foundation are in, and there are a few surprises.

According to the data, 2017’s healthiest state was actually Massachusetts—with Hawaii, Vermont, Utah, and Connecticut rounding out the top five. The criteria eschewed information like number of boutique fitness studios per capita, instead focusing on a broad range of factors that indicated the overall health of residents.

Categories included: STI rates, number of smokers, air pollution, obesity rates, infant mortality, infectious diseases, physical activity levels, access to health care providers, and the number of uninsured residents.

New York came in 10th position, while California ranked further down the list at 17. Surprising perhaps, but it’s important to remember that income plays a huge role in the health of Americans. In cities like NYC and LA, we see a disparity in which the wealthy can afforded to indulge in every wellness treatment and trend, while the poor forego health insurance and in some cases struggle to put food on the table (according to local food banks, around 1.4 million New Yorkers are “food insecure”).

Massachusetts has the best hospitals and the highest number of mental health providers in the country. Only 2.7% of the population are uninsured, and smoking rates have decreased by 25% in the last five years. In contrast, the states facing the biggest health challenges are Mississippi (50), Louisiana (49), Arkansas (48), Alabama (47) and West Virginia (46), where access to good health care and health education is less readily available.

The researcher’s goal wasn’t to shame Americans, but to establish a benchmark. At a time when politics is affecting everything from women’s reproductive health to the affordability of insurance, it’s important to deduce where improvements need to be made to give all citizens of this country the care and resources they deserve.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.