Virginia ranked 14th healthiest state in 2025 report
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia has been ranked the 14th healthiest state in a 2025 report from the United Health Foundation.
The foundation's state rankings are decided through measures within five categories of health, including social and economic factors, physical environment, behaviors, clinical care and health outcomes.
According to Virginia's measures, the Commonwealth has several strengths and challenges regarding specific areas of well-being:
- Strengths:
- Low prevalence of non-medical drug use
- Low economic hardship index score
- Low levels of air pollition
- Challenges:
- High prevalence of multiple chronic conditions
- High prevalence of insufficient sleep
- Low number of mental health providers per 100,000 population
Some of the key findings contained data showing that while depression in adults increased by 26% from 2020 to 2024, unemployment of workers aged 16 and older decreased 25% from 2021 to 2024, according to the foundation.
Virginia ranked highest within social and economic factors and physical environment, while ranking lower in clinical care and behaviors.
In this particular ranking, New Hampshire took the top slot for healthiest state, for the fourth consecutive year, and Louisiana sat at the very bottom as the unhealthiest, also for the fourth consecutive year.
To get a closer look at Virginia's data, other state's reports and to find out how the rankings are decided, click here.
