Texas ranks lowest in children’s health care study

Texas came in last in a new study by WalletHub that examines children’s health care data among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, based on three key dimensions.

Texas earned a total score of 33.23 in the study by the personal finances website, with the maximum score being 100. The state ranked 51st in the category of children’s health and access to care; 44th for “Kids’ Nutrition, Physical Activity & Obesity”; and 39th for “Kids’ Oral Health.”

Within these categories, researchers measured 33 different health-related criteria, such as family doctors per capita, share of children in good health, percentage of youths with depression and daily exercise regimens.

About 95 percent of the nation’s 18-and-under population has health coverage, according to WalletHub, although the cost of health care has increased twofold since the 1980s.

Children’s health is especially important in the coronavirus era, the website reported.

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State Rankings on Children’s Health Care

Overall Rank (1=Best)	State	Total Score	‘Kids’ Health & Access to Health Care’ Rank	‘Kids’ Nutrition, Physical Activity & Obesity’ Rank	‘Kids’ Oral Health’ Rank
1	Massachusetts	64.06	2	2	20
2	Vermont	63.39	1	15	5
3	District of Columbia	61.49	5	10	2
4	Rhode Island	60.57	3	16	18
5	New Jersey	60.03	4	7	50
6	New York	57.05	10	3	8
7	Hawaii	56.96	6	13	49
8	Connecticut	56.12	9	6	32
9	Maryland	55.23	7	25	34
10	New Hampshire	54.06	8	33	27
11	California	52.42	12	17	29
12	Minnesota	51.55	16	14	15
13	Delaware	51.37	13	20	9
14	Pennsylvania	51.32	17	8	7
15	Oregon	50.88	19	5	13
16	Virginia	50.27	11	31	33
17	Maine	50.02	14	26	16
18	Washington	48.77	20	12	45
19	Nebraska	47.78	31	9	23
20	Idaho	47.12	25	21	25
21	New Mexico	46.99	15	39	36
22	South Dakota	46.97	22	23	26
23	Illinois	46.86	24	24	12
24	Utah	46.66	37	4	17
25	Florida	46.60	18	30	38
26	Michigan	46.28	34	19	14
27	North Dakota	46.18	44	1	4
28	Iowa	44.98	36	27	1
29	Nevada	44.98	21	28	51
30	Colorado	44.53	38	22	6
31	Arizona	44.18	30	32	30
32	West Virginia	43.92	33	37	3
33	Wisconsin	43.79	40	18	24
34	South Carolina	43.40	26	45	11
35	Missouri	43.36	27	42	47
36	Kansas	42.81	35	36	28
37	Ohio	42.74	23	46	41
38	Alabama	42.25	29	47	31
39	Montana	41.89	46	11	46
40	Kentucky	41.50	28	49	19
41	Tennessee	40.10	32	51	22
42	Louisiana	39.77	39	43	42
43	Wyoming	39.58	41	41	48
44	North Carolina	39.40	42	38	44
45	Georgia	39.31	47	29	10
46	Arkansas	39.10	43	40	35
47	Alaska	36.89	49	34	43
48	Indiana	36.69	50	35	37
49	Mississippi	36.02	48	48	21
50	Oklahoma	35.35	45	50	40
51	Texas	33.23	51	44	39

Source: WalletHub.com

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