New Hampshire is the healthiest state in the nation for women and children, according to the America’s Health Rankings® 2024 Health of Women and Children Report released today by the United Health Foundation. The first-overall ranking is driven by the state’s number one ranking for children’s health and number six ranking for women’s health.
“It’s no secret that New Hampshire continues to set the gold standard with the highest quality of life for women, children, and families,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “With low poverty and high education rates, the work done by our team, business community, and nonprofits has set the model for health, education, and opportunity!”
“This ranking is a reflection of Granite Staters’ healthy habits and a testament to the hard work of the Department, our partners, and stakeholders across the state,” said New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Commissioner Lori Weaver. “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, but we know there’s more work ahead, especially to ensure women have access to the mental and behavioral health care they need. The Department will continue building on this strong foundation with our Roadmap 2024-2025, which prioritizes improving the health of women and children as a key initiative.”
The report’s rankings are based on 82 measures in five categories of health: social and economic factors, physical environment, behaviors, clinical care, and health outcomes. Across the five categories, New Hampshire ranked among the top five states for women and children’s social and economic factors, women and children’s clinical care, and children’s health outcomes. New Hampshire also ranked first for children’s health behaviors, representing measures such as good nutrition and physical activity and low rates of smoking and tobacco use.
New Hampshire has taken critical steps to help ensure the health of women and children, including investments in primary and prenatal care, initiatives to reduce maternal mortality, behavioral health services for children and adults, and efforts to reduce barriers to enrollment in the Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program (WIC).
Over the current fiscal year, DHHS will invest more than $11 million in family support services, including home visiting programs and family resource centers that serve thousands of Granite Staters annually. The Department invests $3.5 million each year to increase access to quality physical and behavioral healthcare services for perinatal women, infants, children, and adolescents across the state. The Department has also invested nearly $2 million in youth vaping prevention initiatives since 2019. DHHS is committed to helping everyone get the right care and services at the right time and place.
To read the full report, please visit the America’s Health Rankings website