Based on data provided by United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings, 24/7 Tempo examined the 20 states with the highest overall scores. These scores were based on data covering each state population’s health behaviors, community and environment, public and health policies, clinical care, and health outcomes.

Behaviors such as smoking, community and environmental factors like the percentage of children living in poverty, state policies for health funding and immunization, and measure of clinical care quality such as the concentrations of dentists and doctors were all considered in the rank. Outcomes used in the scores included the annual number of deaths occuring before the age of 75 per 100,000 state residents (known as the premature death rate), cancer and cardiovascular disease deaths rates, infant mortality rates, and levels of physical and mental distress reported by state residents.

The percentage of each state’s population without health insurance and the median household income in each state came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey.