With workers paying an average of over $6,500 per year toward employer-sponsored family coverage and Every Kid Healthy Week kicking off on April 22, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2024’s Best & Worst States for Children’s Health Care, as well as expert commentary.
In order to determine which states offer the most cost-effective and highest-quality health care for children, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 33 key metrics. The data set ranges from the share of children in excellent or very good health to pediatricians and family doctors per capita.
| Best States for Children’s Health Care | Worst States for Children’s Health Care | |
| 1. Massachusetts | 42. West Virginia | |
| 2. Vermont | 43. Louisiana | |
| 3. Rhode Island | 44. Arizona | |
| 4. New Jersey | 45. Maine | |
| 5. Hawaii | 46. Arkansas | |
| 6. New York | 47. Alaska | |
| 7. Pennsylvania | 48. Oklahoma | |
| 8. Maryland | 49. Texas | |
| 9. District of Columbia | 50. Wyoming | |
| 10. Connecticut | 51. Mississippi |
Best vs. Worst
- Massachusetts has the lowest share of uninsured children aged 0 to 18, which is 7.8 times lower than in Texas, the highest.
- Rhode Island has the lowest share of children aged 0 to 17 with unaffordable medical bills, which is three times lower than in Texas, the highest.
- The District of Columbia has the most pediatricians per 100,000 residents, which is 25.4 times more than in Oklahoma, the fewest.
- New Hampshire has the lowest share of obese children aged 10 to 17, which is 2.3 times lower than in Mississippi, the highest.
