15 States Leading the Charge for Healthy Living

Published:

Some states have more general wellness among their populations than others. Each state’s score depends on its residents’ mental health, physical health, levels of exercise, and amount of sleep.

Different states have different infrastructures and climates that are more conducive to wellness.

Life Extension has rated which states are the best for overall wellness. To determine which are the best and worst states for wellness, they analyzed 11 metrics across three main wellness categories in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They then scored points for each state in 11 statistical categories by measuring how much better (or worse) the state did compared to the national average in each category.

California

San francisco Hyde Street Cable Car Tram of the Powell-Hyde in California USA
Image Credit: lunamarina/Shutterstock.

 

Wellness is an obsession in California, and it’s paying off. Much of the state has great weather for outdoor exercise, and the culture presses people to eat more healthily and get more exercise.

Arizona

Panoramic aerial view of the Phoenix, Arizona skyline against the day's blue sky.
Image Credit: Mark Skalny/Shutterstock.

With plenty of walking, running, and hiking to do outdoors in the beautiful Arizona scenery, it’s no wonder that people in Arizona are doing so well. They pay attention to both mental and physical health in many ways.

Florida

South Beach, Miami Beach. Florida.
Image Credit: Mia2you/Shutterstock.

Florida is an outdoor paradise with a lot to do on both land and water to keep its residents in good physical shape. It’s one of the very top states for mental health as well.

Washington

Tacoma, Washington, USA with Mt. Rainier in the distance on Commencement Bay.
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.

Washingtonians are healthier than most other states because of their culture of healthy living. With so much natural beauty and a heavy emphasis on hiking and biking, Washington’s residents are generally in good health.

Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii.
Image Credit: photopmh/Shutterstock.

No one can live in Hawaii and not want to hike and swim. Staying swimsuit-ready is another aspect of the healthy culture there. It ranks as the top state in the country for physical health and high on the list of states for mental health.

Utah

Narrows in Zion National Park, Utah.
Image Credit: Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock.

The Mormon culture and the influence it has on the rest of the state have helped it to be one of the healthiest states. It’s the top state for exercise with its many national parks and outdoor activities.

Alaska

Snow town Anchorage, Alaska, the United States of America is one of many people's dream to visit due to its scenery, culture, culinary.
Image Credit: TripWalkers/Shutterstock.

Alaskans get a lot of exercise, and they eat a healthy diet that features a lot of seafood. Many Alaskans have physically demanding jobs, and they need to be in good condition to perform them.

Wyoming

Sunny view of the Wyoming State capitol building at Cheyenne, Wyoming
Image Credit: Kit Leong/Shutterstock.

Wyoming has a low degree of food insecurity, and it has low instances of people with multiple chronic illnesses. It also has exceptionally low air pollution which benefits the health of everyone in the state.

Washington, D.C.

United States of America Capitol building in Washington, D. C.
Image Credit: CSNafzger/Shutterstock.

It isn’t technically a state, but it does rank well for the health of its citizens. It’s ranked very highly for the amount of exercise its residents get and for the overall physical health of the population.

New Jersey

Aerial panorama of Trenton New Jersey skyline amd state capitol at sunset. Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County.
Image Credit: Mihai_Andritoiu/Shutterstock.

The high standard of living in New Jersey has meant many opportunities for residents to get into good health. It ranks second-highest among all states for the physical health of its residents.

Colorado

Denver Colorado downtown with City Park
Image Credit: Andrew Zarivny/Shutterstock.

From skiing to hiking to breathing in the healthy mountain air, Colorado is a great place to get into good health. It ranks as the top state for the amount of sleep residents get and second-highest for the amount of exercise its citizens engage in.

Massachusetts

Cambridge Kendall Square skyline and Longfellow Bridge aerial view, Boston, Massachusetts MA, USA. The bridge connects Cambridge and Boston over Charles River is a steel rib arch bridge built in 1906.
Image Credit: Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock.

The high incomes of people in this state give residents many more resources for staying in good health. Massachusetts has a high level of healthcare access and a culture of staying in shape.

Michigan

Detroit, Michigan, USA downtown skyline from above at dusk.
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.

The state government of Michigan has made it a priority to lower the rate of obesity in the state, and it’s having some success. Widespread education about exercise and healthy eating are leading to better results in this state.

Virginia

Richmond, Virginia, USA downtown skyline.
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.

Virginia has seen improvement in its rankings in recent years as the culture has shifted toward eating less and moving more. The state has also lowered its rate of health disparity so that more people have access to health services.

North Carolina

Aerial Photography From Raleigh & Cary NC
Image Credit: Farid Sani/Shutterstock.

North Carolina has a good quality of healthcare, and the culture has been changing recently to encourage healthier behaviors. The state also has plenty of natural beauty for outdoor sports and recreation.

The 15 States Bursting at the Seams With People

 

Farming and cultivations in Latin America. Portrait of middle aged hispanic farmer sitting proud in his tractor at sunset, holding the steering wheel. He looks at the camera and smiles happy.
Image Credit: Diego Cervo/Shutterstock.

 

Some states have a high population density and many population centers. Others are mostly rural and may have little population. The difference between the top and bottom states in terms of population is enormous.

According to World Population Review, these are the top 15 states for population.

The 15 States Bursting at the Seams With People

These 15 States Are the Safest States in the USA

old man enjoying life at full by travelling around world sittig on the seaside against lighthouse on sunny Autumn day.
Image Credit: Irene Miller/Shutterstock.

 

Some states are safer than others, and this is a big influence on where people move. Places with a low level of public safety have a lot of crime, and this can prevent the public from wanting to move there and even visit.

There are various types of crime, with violent crime and property crime being highly important to the public safety rating of each state.

These 15 States Are the Safest States in the USA

The 11 Most Dishonest Cities in America

Outdoors portrait of middle age man at the spring, summer or autumn day.
Image Credit: Maria Sbytova/Shutterstock.

 

Picture this: you find a stack of cash. Do you pocket the unexpected windfall, or do you take the noble route and hand it in to the police?

In this scenario, a significant 47% of Americans admit they would keep the found money, assuming no one saw their stroke of luck. Interestingly, gender doesn’t play a big role, with both women (47.4%) and men (46.6%) expressing similar inclinations to be tempted by the cash.

The 11 Most Dishonest Cities in America

The 15 Countries That Have More Filthy Rich People Than Others

Cute young brunette girl in sunglasses walks along the Los Angeles waterfront with palm trees and streets on a summer day.
Image Credit: Ivanova Ksenia/Shutterstock.

 

There are rich people around the world, but there are some areas that have more wealthy residents than others. When looking at how many millionaires there are in each country, it isn’t even remotely even.

There are major wealth centers in certain countries that represent far more wealth than exists in other areas. It’s amazing how many millionaires there are; this is where they’re located.

The 15 Countries That Have More Filthy Rich People Than Others

15 Countries That You Will Probably Regret Traveling To

 

Portrait of confident young black woman looking serious at camera. Independent african american female on the city background.
Image Credit: VN_KK/Shutterstock,

 

There are some countries where the majority of visitors love their experience. However, there are other countries that people come back from and never recommend to anyone. These countries often have circumstances that make the trip miserable so that visitors can’t wait to leave and go home.

15 Countries That You Will Probably Regret Traveling To

 

 

 

 

Leave a Comment