States With the Most Skin Cancer

July 30, 2016 by Steven M. Peters

An estimated one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Diagnosis rates of melanoma — one of the most common and deadly forms of skin cancer — doubled in the United States between 1982 and 2011. Meanwhile, skin cancer treatment cost Americans $8.1 billion a year from 2007 to 2011, more than twice the annual cost in the previous five years.

While melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma account for the vast majority of skin cancer diagnoses. If detected early and treated properly, both types are highly curable.

The much less common melanoma is a more aggressive form of skin cancer, accounting for about three out of every four skin cancer deaths. Melanoma is expected to account for 76,000 cases of skin cancer, and 10,000 deaths in 2016.

Click here to see the states with the most skin cancer.

The incidence of melanoma varies among states. To determine which states have the highest rates of melanoma, 24/7 reviewed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Texas has the lowest rate in the country with 12 cases of melanoma for every 100,000 residents annually. The rate in Utah is more than three times higher, at 37.3 melanoma diagnoses for every 100,000 people — the highest of any state.

Many factors contribute to a state’s melanoma rate. Because more than 90% of melanoma cases are diagnosed in non-Hispanic whites, states with larger shares of light-skinned residents tend to report a greater incidence of melanoma. Nine of the 10 states with the highest rates of melanoma have populations with higher proportions of white residents than the nation as a whole. This is true for only four of the 10 states with the lowest rates of melanoma.

Exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun, particularly to the point of sunburn, increases the risk of melanoma. Sunny, Southern states do not have higher rates of melanoma, however. The difference between states may be caused more by how residents protect themselves from the sun, rather than how much time they spend in the sunlight. For example, residents living in cloudier areas may not use sunscreen as much as a resident living in sunny areas, even though the majority of the ultraviolet radiation penetrates the clouds.

To identify the states with the highest rates of skin cancer, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed melanoma diagnosis and death rates per 100,000 people from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Figures are for 2013, the most current available. Percentages of state populations who are white came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2014 American Community Survey. Nevada was excluded from the list because melanoma rates were not available.

These are the states with the highest rates of melanoma.

Austin, Texas

49. Texas
> Melanoma diagnoses: 12.0 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.2 per 100,000 (tied-8th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 75% (19th lowest)

Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

48. New Mexico
> Melanoma diagnoses: 13.5 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.4 per 100,000 (tied-15th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 73% (17th lowest)

Alaskan Summer

47. Alaska
> Melanoma diagnoses: 14.8 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: N/A
> Pct. pop. white: 66% (9th lowest)

Indianapolis at sunrise

46. Indiana
> Melanoma diagnoses: 16.4 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.2 per 100,000 (tied-8th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 84% (18th highest)

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

45. Louisiana
> Melanoma diagnoses: 16.6 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.3 per 100,000 (tied-11th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 63% (7th lowest)

Biloxi Beach at Sunset, Mississippi

44. Mississippi
> Melanoma diagnoses: 17.0 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.0 per 100,000 (4th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 59% (4th lowest)

Chicago, Illinois 4

43. Illinois
> Melanoma diagnoses: 17.8 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.7 per 100,000 (tied-21st highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 73% (16th lowest)

St. Louis, Missouri

42. Missouri
> Melanoma diagnoses: 18.2 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.0 per 100,000 (tied-11th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 83% (20th highest)

Birmingham Alabama

41. Alabama
> Melanoma diagnoses: 18.6 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.7 per 100,000 (tied-21st highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 69% (12th lowest)

Detroit, Michigan

40. Michigan
> Melanoma diagnoses: 18.7 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.5 per 100,000 (tied-18th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 79% (25th highest)

Saguaro arizona

39. Arizona
> Melanoma diagnoses: 18.8 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.0 per 100,000 (tied-11th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 79% (25th lowest)

Oklahoma City Sunrise

38. Oklahoma
> Melanoma diagnoses: 18.9 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.7 per 100,000 (tied-21st highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 73% (18th lowest)

New York City, Manhattan

37. New York
> Melanoma diagnoses: 19.0 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.2 per 100,000 (tied-8th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 65% (8th lowest)

View of mountains in the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia.

36. West Virginia
> Melanoma diagnoses: 19.3 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.6 per 100,000 (2nd highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 94% (4th highest)

Boston, Massachusetts

35. Massachusetts
> Melanoma diagnoses: 19.3 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.0 per 100,000 (tied-11th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 80% (24th highest)

Honolulu County, Hawaii

34. Hawaii
> Melanoma diagnoses: 19.4 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 1.6 per 100,000 (3rd lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 25% (2nd lowest)

Cleveland, Ohio

33. Ohio
> Melanoma diagnoses: 19.5 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.8 per 100,000 (tied-17th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 83% (21st highest)

Knoxville, Tennessee

32. Tennessee
> Melanoma diagnoses: 19.9 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.3 per 100,000 (7th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 78% (22nd lowest)

Skyline of Hartford Connecticut on a beautiful sunny day

31. Connecticut
> Melanoma diagnoses: 19.9 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.2 per 100,000 (tied-8th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 78% (21st lowest)

Devils Tower, Crooks County, Wyoming

30. Wyoming
> Melanoma diagnoses: 20.0 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.5 per 100,000 (tied-18th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 91% (7th highest)

Pine Bluff, Arkansas

29. Arkansas
> Melanoma diagnoses: 20.1 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.7 per 100,000 (tied-21st highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 78% (24th lowest)

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

28. Virginia
> Melanoma diagnoses: 20.4 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.8 per 100,000 (tied-17th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 69% (13th lowest)

Flatirons Boulder, Colorado

27. Colorado
> Melanoma diagnoses: 20.7 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.2 per 100,000 (tied-8th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 84% (19th highest)

Farm, Wisconsin

26. Wisconsin
> Melanoma diagnoses: 21.3 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.4 per 100,000 (tied-15th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 87% (13th highest)

Pierre, South Dakota

25. South Dakota
> Melanoma diagnoses: 21.4 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.1 per 100,000 (5th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 85% (14th highest)

The historic cable car on San francisco city, california

24. California
> Melanoma diagnoses: 21.8 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.3 per 100,000 (tied-11th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 62% (6th lowest)

North Dakota Badlands

23. North Dakota
> Melanoma diagnoses: 22.0 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.6 per 100,000 (tied-21st lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 89% (9th highest)

Charleston Sunset, South Carolina

22. South Carolina
> Melanoma diagnoses: 22.2 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.0 per 100,000 (tied-11th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 67% (10th lowest)

Johns Hopkins, Maryland

21. Maryland
> Melanoma diagnoses: 22.2 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.6 per 100,000 (tied-21st lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 58% (3rd lowest)

Fishing Pier Ocean Grove, New Jersey, beach

20. New Jersey
> Melanoma diagnoses: 22.3 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.4 per 100,000 (tied-15th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 69% (11th lowest)

Naples, Florida

19. Florida
> Melanoma diagnoses: 22.4 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.9 per 100,000 (16th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 76% (20th lowest)

Kansas house

18. Kansas
> Melanoma diagnoses: 23.0 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.4 per 100,000 (tied-4th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 85% (15th highest)

Lincoln, Nebraska

17. Nebraska
> Melanoma diagnoses: 23.0 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.4 per 100,000 (tied-4th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 88% (10th highest)

Providence-Warwick, Rhode Island

16. Rhode Island
> Melanoma diagnoses: 23.2 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.4 per 100,000 (tied-15th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 81% (23rd highest)

Elizabeth City, North Carolina

15. North Carolina
> Melanoma diagnoses: 23.3 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.7 per 100,000 (tied-21st highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 70% (14th lowest)

Kentucky Tobacco Field With Barn and Silo in Background

14. Kentucky
> Melanoma diagnoses: 24.3 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.4 per 100,000 (tied-4th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 88% (12th highest)

York County, Pennsylvania

13. Pennsylvania
> Melanoma diagnoses: 24.3 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.8 per 100,000 (tied-17th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 82% (22nd highest)

Mount Katahdin, Baxter State Park, Maine

12. Maine
> Melanoma diagnoses: 24.7 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.2 per 100,000 (tied-8th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 95% (2nd highest)

Augusta, Georgia

11. Georgia
> Melanoma diagnoses: 24.9 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.7 per 100,000 (tied-21st highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 60% (5th lowest)

Yakima, Washington

10. Washington
> Melanoma diagnoses: 25.7 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.7 per 100,000 (tied-21st highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 78% (23rd lowest)

Beartooth Mountains at dawn, Red Lodge, Montana, USA.

9. Montana
> Melanoma diagnoses: 25.9 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.5 per 100,000 (tied-18th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 89% (8th highest)

Snake River Canyon, Idaho

8. Idaho
> Melanoma diagnoses: 26.1 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.7 per 100,000 (the highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 92% (5th highest)

Dartmouth, New Hampshire

7. New Hampshire
> Melanoma diagnoses: 26.3 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.7 per 100,000 (tied-21st highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 94% (3rd highest)

Des Moines, Iowa

6. Iowa
> Melanoma diagnoses: 26.6 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.8 per 100,000 (tied-17th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 91% (6th highest)

Boundary Waters, Minnesota

5. Minnesota
> Melanoma diagnoses: 27.8 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.7 per 100,000 (tied-21st highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 85% (16th highest)

Sunrise Over Crown Point at Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

4. Oregon
> Melanoma diagnoses: 28.4 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.0 per 100,000 (tied-11th highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 85% (17th highest)

Dover, Delaware

3. Delaware
> Melanoma diagnoses: 30.0 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.6 per 100,000 (tied-21st lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 70% (15th lowest)

Stowe, Vermont

2. Vermont
> Melanoma diagnoses: 32.3 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 2.3 per 100,000 (tied-11th lowest)
> Pct. pop. white: 95% (the highest)

Provo Orem, Utah Valley wildflowers

1. Utah
> Melanoma diagnoses: 37.3 per 100,000
> Melanoma deaths: 3.5 per 100,000 (3rd highest)
> Pct. pop. white: 88% (11th highest)

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