The Worst Statistic About Your State

Alabama has the lowest concentration of mental health professionals of any state. Massachusetts, the state with the greatest concentration, has over six times as many mental health care providers per 100,000 people, according to County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program.

Alaska’s violent crime rate is higher than that of every other state and more than double the national rate of 369 violent crimes per 100,000 in 2018, according to the FBI.

Phoenix is the hottest city in America with the most days per year with temperatures of at least 90 degrees. Tucson, Arizona, is the second hottest with 147 days of 90 plus degree temperatures, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.

Adults in Arkansas are more likely to report being in fair or poor health than adults in every other state, according to County Health Rankings & Roadmaps.

The share of adults in California with a high school diploma is the lowest of any state in the country and well below the 88.3% national high school attainment rate.

According to the CDC, adults in Colorado are more likely to regularly use e-cigarettes or vaporizers than those in any other states.

Based on per capita payments, Connecticut residents have the highest state and local tax burden of nearly any other state, paying about $2,500 more than the national average.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Delaware produced less energy from renewable sources on a per capita basis in 2017 than every other state.

Florida has been hit with more tropical storms and hurricanes since 1851 than any other state.

Children between 19 and 35 months in Georgia are less likely to receive immunizations to protect against such diseases as mumps, measles, and tetanus than those in every other state.

Hawaii has the most expensive real estate in the country, making homeownership less attainable for a larger share of residents.

Idaho has the largest share of adults who report having some form of mental illness in the United States. Nationwide, 18.6% of adults have a mental illness.

With a woefully underfunded pension system and a chronic budget deficit, Illinois has by far the lowest credit rating from financial services firm Moody’s — just above junk status.

Indiana has the highest concentration of harmful air pollution of any state. Nationwide, the average daily concentration of PM2.5 — or particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 micrometers — is 8.6 per cubic meter.

The racial disparity in arrests for drug possession is higher in Iowa than in nearly every other state in the country.

There were more tornadoes in Kansas between 1950 and August 2018 than in every other state besides Texas.

Kentucky is facing a pension crisis — it has the smallest pension funding ratio of any state.

Louisiana’s murder rate is higher than that of any other state and more than double the mational homicide rate of 5.0 murders per 100,000 people, according to the FBI.

Maine is home to the largest share of 65 and older residents in the country. This poses a unique set of problems, including a smaller working-age population, smaller tax base, and higher health care costs.

Workers in Maryland are more likely to commute by car — alone — for over a half hour to work than those in every other state.

No state has more outstanding government debt on a per capita basis than Massachusetts.

Michigan is projected to have the largest population decline between 2020 and 2030 of any state. Over the same period, the U.S. population is projected to grow by 8.7%.

Of all major U.S. metropolitan areas, the Minneapolis metro has the most days per year with sub-zero temperatures.

Mississippi has the highest poverty rate of any state — well above the 13.1% national poverty rate.

Police found more drug labs in Missouri over the last 20 years than in any other state. Oklahoma is in a distant second place with 2,357 drug labs, according to the DEA.

Montana has the worst drunk driving fatality rate of any state — more than double the national rate of 2.7 drunk driving-related fatalities per 100,000.

Adults in Nebraska are less likely than those in the vast majority of other states to use a seatbelt when driving or riding in a car. Nationwide, 85.6% of adults always use a seatbelt.

There were more divorces per capita in Nevada in 2018 than in any other state.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, New Hampshire has the highest concentration of hate groups of all states with at least 10 active hate groups.

New Jersey has by far the highest concentration of sites contaminated with hazardous waste of any state in the country.

New Mexico has the highest property crime rate of any state — well above the national rate of 2,200 property crimes per 100,000 people, according to the FBI.

New York has the worst income inequality of any state. For reference, the wealthiest 20% of households nationwide earn 4.9 times as much as the poorest 20%.

North Carolina is home to the largest share of residents under age 65 who have high out-of pocket medical costs, relative to their annual income.

Adults in North Dakota are less likely than those in every other state to have a graduate or professional degree. Nationwide, 12.6% of adults have an advanced degree.

Ohio has the highest rate of juvenile prisoners who report being forced into sexual activity with other prisoners or with prison staff members, more than double the 7.1% national rate.

Oklahoma has the highest uninsured rate among adults age 19 to 64. The comparable national uninsured rate is 12.0%.

The share of high school students who graduate within four years of enrollment is smaller in Oregon than every other state other than New Mexico. Nationwide, the on-time high school graduation rate stands at 84.6%, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Pennsylvania had more winter driving deaths between 2013 and 2017 than every state except for Michigan. The state’s deadliest road in winter months is I-80.

The share of bridges in poor condition in Rhode Island is far higher than any other state. Nationwide, only 5.4% of bridges are classified as being in poor condition.

There were more driving deaths per capita in South Carolina than every other state except for Mississippi in 2018. There were 11.5 driving deaths per 100,000 people nationwide the same year.

So-called “brain drain” — more highly-educated people leaving than staying — is worse in South Dakota than in any other state other than Vermont.

A larger share of adults have had a stroke in Tennessee than in any other state. For reference, 3.4% of American adults nationwide have had a stroke.

A larger share of the Texas population lacks health insurance than any other state. Nationwide, the uninsured rate stands at 10.0%.

Utah spends less on public education per student than any other state in the country. On average, per student spending across all states totalled $12,201 in fiscal 2017.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the share of 18 to 25 year olds in Vermont who reported using illicit drugs in the past month was by far the highest share of any state. The comparable national rate was less than 25%.

Virginia has the worst ratio of minimum wage to what is needed sustain a family of any state. The state also has no mandatory paid sick leave or guarantee for paid time off for a pregnancy and child birth.

Seattle, Washington, has more days of rain per year, on average, than most major U.S. cities.

West Virginia has the highest drug overdose death rate in the country — more than double the national rate of 19.2 drug overdose deaths per 100,000.

Wisconsin has the highest excessive alcohol consumption rate among states, well above the 18.0% national rate.

Wyoming has the highest occupational fatality rate of any state — well above the national rate of 4.4 workplace deaths per 100,000 workers.