Healthy Streak: New Hampshire Earns Another No. 1 National Ranking

By Michael Graham, NH Journal

What’s up, Doc? New Hampshire’s health care rankings, that’s what.

A new report from the data analysts at WalletHub found New Hampshire has America’s best health care system. It’s the latest in a series of No. 1 rankings for the Granite State, covering everything from child well-being and taxpayer value to overall health and quality of life.

The new WalletHub analysis compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 44 measures of health care cost, access and outcomes. New Hampshire finished first overall with a score of 68.63, followed by Minnesota, Iowa, Rhode Island, and Hawaii.

It marks the second consecutive year New Hampshire has topped WalletHub’s health care rankings.

“I’m proud that New Hampshire once again ranks #1 for health care, and we’re going to work hard to ensure it stays that way,” said Gov. Kelly Ayotte. “Working with providers, stakeholders, and state leaders, we’re focused on expanding access to high-quality, affordable care, growing our health care workforce, and ensuring our quality of life remains the best in the country.”

The latest ranking comes as Americans continue to struggle with health care costs. According to federal estimates cited by WalletHub, the average American spends nearly $15,500 annually on personal health care.

“Healthcare has two crucial components, cost and quality,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “The best healthcare in the nation isn’t helpful if it bankrupts the people who try to get it, and cheap healthcare isn’t worth paying for if it provides subpar or ineffective treatment.

“Therefore, the best states for healthcare are those that make high-quality care affordable, on top of providing many options for doctors and making insurance easily accessible.”

That math correlates with the analysis showing the state has the best taxpayer return on investment (ROI) in the U.S., a top ranking it has now held for 11 consecutive years.

New Hampshire ranked second nationally for health care costs and first for outcomes, though it came in 17th for access.

Granite Staters have the lowest average monthly health insurance premium in the country, approximately $469, and the nation’s second-lowest out-of-pocket medical spending, the data analysis found.

The state also ranked 10th for nurses per capita and fifth for physician assistants per capita. New Hampshire has more urgent care centers certified by the Urgent Care Association per capita than any other state.

Health outcomes were another source of strength. New Hampshire has the nation’s lowest stroke prevalence, the fourth-lowest prevalence of Type 2 diabetes and the fourth-lowest share of residents who have suffered heart attacks.

The state also posted the nation’s lowest infant mortality rate.

Minnesota finished second overall, followed by Iowa, Rhode Island, Hawaii and Massachusetts. At the bottom of the rankings were Mississippi, Alaska, West Virginia, Oklahoma and Texas.

The health care honor is the latest in a remarkable run of national recognition for the Granite State.

In January, the United Health Foundation’s annual America’s Health Rankings report named New Hampshire the nation’s healthiest state for the fourth consecutive year. That study examined 99 measures spanning health outcomes, individual behavior, clinical care, environmental conditions and socioeconomic factors.

In March, another WalletHub analysis found New Hampshire had the lowest overall tax burden in the continental United States. Alaska was the only state with a lower burden nationally.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book ranked New Hampshire first for overall child well-being in June — also for the fourth consecutive year. The state earned the nation’s highest score across measures of economic well-being, education, health, and family and community conditions.

Earlier this month, ConsumerAffairs named New Hampshire the best state in America to move to. The Granite State ranked second for safety and quality of life and third in the combined health care and education category. The report also considered affordability and economic strength.

New Hampshire had placed second in that survey during each of the previous two years before reaching the top spot in 2026.

The news presents yet another political challenge for Granite State Democrats arguing the state needs to “make a change” and give Gov. Ayotte the boot. With the state at or near the top in nearly every economic, educational and lifestyle ranking, Republicans ask: Why would you want to change?

Ayotte’s challenger, Cinde Warmington, did not respond to requests for comment.

Insurance Commissioner D.J. Bettencourt noted that the metrics used to evaluate the state’s healthcare system included “two measures that are especially important to Granite Staters: the lowest average monthly health insurance premiums in the country and one of the nation’s lowest uninsured rates. These results demonstrate that New Hampshire is succeeding in making health coverage both affordable and accessible.”

New Hampshire’s healthcare industry was also pleased by the news.

“HCA Healthcare is thrilled to see New Hampshire leading the nation in healthcare delivery,” said John Skevington, CEO of Catholic Medical Center. “This is wonderful news for all Granite Staters and reflects the dedication of healthcare professionals, policymakers and community partners across the state. HCA Healthcare is proud to share in this achievement through our more than 40 years serving patients at our sites of care, including Catholic Medical Center, Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Frisbie Memorial Hospital, Parkland Medical Center, our four freestanding emergency rooms and our urgent care facility in Bedford. We are incredibly proud to see New Hampshire leading and honored to be part of the collective effort to build a healthier New Hampshire.”

This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.