Louisiana Among America’s Least Healthy States, Study Finds

(KMDL-FM) - It's no secret that in Louisiana, natives suffer from a ton of chronic health issues like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Factors include our food choices, excessive alcohol use and the prevalence of smoking.

But just how bad is it in the Bayou State when compared to the rest of the U.S.? The simple answer is, "not too great."

How SmileHub Ranked States for Health & Wellness

The non-profit organization SmileHub released the findings of the new reports on the Best Charities for Health & Wellness and the Best States for Health & Wellness in 2025. The results show just how poorly Louisiana stacks up against the other states.

Before we get to our state's ranking, let's explain how the rankings were compiled. SmileHub compared each of the 50 states based on 23 key metrics. The data set ranges from the number of health and wellness charities per capita to the cost of a medical visit to public health funding per capita.

Louisiana’s 2025 Health Ranking by the Numbers

Overall, Louisiana checked in at #48 in the overall ranking. Here is how Louisiana ranked in some of those key metrics:

Health & Wellness in Louisiana (1 = Best, 25 = Average)

• 29th - Health & Wellness Charities per Capita
• 46th - Life Expectancy
• 22nd - Public Health Funding per Capita
• 47th - Obesity Rate
• 30th - Physicians per Capita
• 49th - Outdoor Activity Access

Get our free mobile app

The Healthiest States in America for 2025

On the opposite end, here are the top 5 states for health and wellness in the U.S.:

1. Massachusetts (1st - Community Baselines Rank)
2. Colorado (3rd - Personal Health & Wellness Activity Rank)
3. Vermont (3rd - Healthcare Access Rank)
4. Minnesota (4th - Healthcare Access Rank)
5. New York (4th - Community Health Baselines Rank)

To view the full report on Best States for Health & Wellness, visit https://smilehub.org/blog/best-states-for-health-and-wellness/189.