Another New England state edged out Mass. as the healthiest in the nation

Health

New Hampshire ranked as the healthiest state for the fourth consecutive year, with Vermont and Connecticut following Massachusetts in third and fourth, respectively.

The 2025 America’s Health Rankings report by the United Health Foundation ranked Massachusetts as the second healthiest state in the nation, falling shy of first-place New Hampshire.

The state saw some progress with a 17% increase in cancer screenings among adults aged 40 to 75 between 2022 and 2024. It also had a low prevalence of obesity at only 27% of adults. 

Another key finding was that the state saw a 43% increase in adult volunteering between 2021 and 2023, almost double the national increase of 22%. The report states that volunteering is a form of civic participation that can improve community and societal health. 

Despite the state’s high ranking, it faced challenges, including a 13% increase in adult depression between 2021 and 2024 and a 6% decline in adult flu vaccinations between 2022 and 2024. 

The state also saw high income inequality, preventable hospitalization rates, and a high prevalence of households experiencing severe housing problems. 

Massachusetts last ranked No. 1 in 2017 and has remained in the top five since. 

New Hampshire ranked No. 1 for the fourth consecutive year, with a low prevalence of non-medical drug use, a high rate of high school completion, and low e-cigarette use. 

However, the state still had some challenges with high rates of excessive drinking, black and white segregation, and low per capita public health funding. 

The first annual report was published in 1990, marking the longest-running state-by-state analysis of the nation’s health. 

This year’s report analyzes 99 health and well-being measures, drawn from 31 data sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, to provide a comprehensive view of the nation’s health. 

The report also examines differences in demographics, age, income, and educational attainment. 

Key national findings include:

• Physical inactivity reached its healthiest levels since tracking began. 
• There was an 8% drop in premature deaths or people lost before age 75 between 2022 and 2023.
• The number of adults living with three or more chronic conditions increased by 6% between 2023 and 2025, with the largest increase of 17% among adults aged 18 to 44. 
• Homelessness increased 16% between 2023 and 2024.
• Avoidance of care due to cost increased by 8% between 2023 and 2024. 
• Drug deaths decreased by 3% between 2022 and 2023, marking the first improvement since 2018. 
• Cancer screenings increased by 15% between 2022 and 2024. 

Beth Treffeisen is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on local news, crime, and business in the New England region.