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1-800-952-8444Posted on September 05, 2025
Health is something Americans think about every day, but the issues that cause the most concern can vary widely depending on where you live. From sleep and stress to diet and exercise, people across the country worry about different factors that shape their overall well-being.
To better understand these differences, we surveyed thousands of people across the country and asked them how concerned they were about 10 common health factors. Using their responses, we created an index to identify which states are most concerned about their health, which are least concerned, and how priorities shift across regions and demographics.
The results highlight national trends, state-by-state comparisons, and surprising insights into what Americans believe matters most when it comes to their health.
Good health is shaped by more than just one habit or choice. To understand which areas of health weigh most heavily on Americans’ minds, we asked respondents to rate their level of concern across 10 potential factors. We then ranked the results based on the percentage of people who described each factor as at least “very concerning.”
Weight management and mental health ranked highest, with sleep quality, food quality, and activity level close behind. Concerns about lifestyle behaviors such as vaping and alcohol use trailed well below the top five.
The survey also revealed demographic differences:
Age plays a clear role. Younger generations expressed more concern about mental well-being and screen time. For example, 45% of Gen Z and millennials reported high concern about mental well-being, compared with 31% of baby boomers. On the other hand, food quality was a larger concern for older adults (40% of boomers vs. 31% of Gen Z).
Gender differences showed women were more likely than men to rank activity level and maintaining a healthy weight as high concerns, with a 9% gap between groups.
Income shaped priorities as well. Higher earners were more focused on food quality and activity level, while lower earners expressed greater concern about mental well-being and sleep quality.
Health concerns have a clear hierarchy in America, but do shift a bit depending on demographic factors. But how do these patterns look when we zoom in on different parts of the country? Next, we’ll explore which states are the most and least concerned about their health overall.
While health concerns vary from person to person, they also differ by region. Our survey data shows clear distinctions between states when it comes to how much residents worry about the factors that impact their overall health.
We created an index from our survey questions about how big of an impact different factors have on our overall health. By scoring each state based on the share of respondents who said each factor was “very concerning,” we found that some states stand out for high levels of concern across multiple areas, while others appear far less worried.
States most concerned about their health:
These states illustrate how different regions prioritize certain health risks. In Louisiana, multiple factors pushed scores higher than anywhere else, while states like New Jersey and New York stood out for very specific issues, such as food quality and vaping.
States least concerned about their health:
These findings suggest some states are more relaxed when it comes to personal health, with North Dakota standing out for especially low concern levels across multiple categories.
The results reveal wide disparities in how health is viewed across the U.S. Some states show consistently high concern across a range of factors, while others consistently rank at the bottom. Next, we’ll look closer at individual health factors to see which states are most and least concerned about specific issues.
While overall health concern varies by state, certain issues consistently rise to the top. Now we’ll highlight which states are most and least worried about specific health factors, offering a closer look at how priorities shift across the country.
Maintaining a Healthy Weight – National Average: 42%
Weight management stands out as the leading health concern, and it’s especially top of mind in the South. In contrast, states like Colorado and Massachusetts, often associated with more active lifestyles, rank well below the national average.
Mental Well-Being – 41%
Southern states appear at the top once again, signaling that residents there are more likely to view mental health as a serious factor in their overall well-being. Meanwhile, Arizona and Kentucky report some of the lowest concern levels, falling more than 10 percentage points below the national average.
Sleep Quality – 37%
Poor sleep is a common issue nationwide, but concern levels vary sharply. Residents in Texas and Louisiana, already ranking high for overall concern, also top the list here. Florida, on the other hand, falls to the bottom, suggesting residents may feel less impacted by sleep-related issues than the rest of the country.
Alcohol Consumption – 19%
Concerns over alcohol use remain relatively low across the board, but Louisiana and New York rank far above the national average. States like Utah and West Virginia, where alcohol consumption rates are typically lower, report the least concern.
Screen Time/Technology Use – 17%
Technology use sparks strong concern in some regions, particularly in Rhode Island and Missouri, where residents report nearly double the national average. Kentucky’s concern level, however, is negligible at just 4.1%.
These findings highlight the wide range of health priorities across the U.S. From weight management in the South to screen time in the Northeast, the data underscores that no single factor dominates the conversation everywhere. Next, we’ll share the full rankings so you can see how your state compares across every health concern we studied.
Health priorities look very different depending on where you live. While some states worry most about mental well-being or sleep, others are more concerned with weight management or the quality of their food. To give a full picture, we’ve broken down how every state ranked across all 10 health factors in our survey.
Use the interactive table below to explore the results. You can sort the data to see which states are most or least concerned overall, or search directly to see how your state stacks up on specific health issues.
Americans worry about many aspects of their health. Our survey highlights how those concerns can vary depending on everything from how old you are to where you live. Some regions show consistently high levels of concern, while others report far lower worries across the board.
For people living in the states most focused on health, that concern often extends to the care they receive. A visit to the doctor or hospital should help, not harm. When medical treatment falls short and negatively affects your health, it may be the result of medical malpractice. The attorneys at Weiss & Paarz have the experience to help patients understand their options and protect their rights.
We surveyed more than 2,400 people from 48 states across a range of demographics to learn which health factors Americans are most concerned about. Respondents rated their level of concern for 10 common health factors on a scale.
To rank states, we calculated weighted averages for each factor and scaled the results to create a health concern index, with 100 representing the highest possible level of concern. Each factor was given equal weight in the analysis.
Alaska and Wyoming were excluded from the rankings due to insufficient survey responses.
Disclaimer: The historical information and specific statistics displayed above are solely designed to provide general knowledge to the public and are being used as a part of attorney marketing. Cited statistics and statements were taken from the research of various independent websites (referenced above). Weiss & Paarz did not take any steps to replicate the findings of any sources used in this infographic, nor were the numbers or results displayed above independently verified by Weiss & Paarz.
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