The greatest health strengths and challenges in New York

New York is ranked 23rd in the country for overall health – a decline from a ranking of 11 in 20191 – according to America’s Health Rankings 2022 Annual Report. Below is a summary of the positive and negative factors that contributed to this ranking.2

New York health strengths

  • Low prevalence of frequent mental distress
  • Low prevalence of multiple chronic conditions
  • Low uninsured rate
  • 13% decrease in excessive drinking from 18.8% to 16.4% of adults between 2017 and 2021

New York health challenges

  • High income inequality
  • High Black/white residential segregation
  • High percentage of households experiencing severe housing problems
  • 31% increase in premature death from 5,825 to 7,651 years lost before age 75 per 100,000 population between 2019 and 2020
  • 11% increase in obesity from 26.3% to 29.1% of adults between 2020 and 2021

What this means for employers

Employers who do business or have employees living in the state of New York may want to consider programs or benefits that can help support their employee population and guide them to better health decisions.

Learn more about the factors impacting the health of New York.

The real people behind these numbers are what make the work ahead so critically important. Despite the challenges ahead, I remain optimistic that the health system can rise to the moment to address long-standing disparities and improve the health and well-being of all Americans, for this generation and the next.

— Patricia L. Lewis, Chief Sustainability Officer at UnitedHealth Group

Breaking down the findings from America’s Health Rankings 2022 Annual Report

The latest findings highlight some of the greatest health challenges and strengths across the nation, with racial and ethnic disparities coming into sharp focus.