New England State Named the Healthiest in the Nation

According to US News, Massachusetts is the healthiest state in the US, and the science was based on some pretty heavy-hitting data points such as infant mortality rate, obesity rate, smoking rate and overall public health.

Basically, they’re looking for states with the lowest scores across the board to claim the “healthiest” title. Naturally, I had to dig deeper to see why Massachusetts ranked so high, and what I found was pretty fascinating.

The Boston Globe points out that Massachusetts is sitting pretty at #1 for having the best overall healthcare system in the country. That’s not all—they also have fewer smokers, lower obesity rates, and a population that’s more into staying active and living a healthier lifestyle overall.

But the real kicker? According to shvs.org, Massachusetts’s health initiatives through MassHealth are top-notch. They’ve prioritized making healthcare accessible for low-income residents and currently boast the highest healthcare coverage rate in the nation.

What I found particularly interesting is that they also took into account some non-health-specific factors. Turns out, Massachusetts residents are more likely to graduate high school, pursue higher education, and even vote—all of which contribute to overall health and wellness.

So yeah, Massachusetts isn’t just setting the bar for sports teams—they’re crushing it in health and wellness, too.