The top 10 states for children's health care

WalletHub’s 2026 Best & Worst States for Children’s Health Care analysis compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia using 33 metrics grouped into three categories: health and access to care; nutrition, physical activity and obesity; and oral health. The data were collected through March 10, 2026.

About 94% of U.S. children aged 0 to 18 years have health insurance coverage, according to the report, but coverage alone has not eliminated financial strain on families. Workers contribute an average of $6,850 per year toward employer-sponsored family health coverage, and families who do not qualify for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) often make up the gap.

Cost is not the only variable. WalletHub’s analysis also weighs pediatrician and family physician supply, out-of-pocket costs, vaccination rates, diet, recreation access and dental care.

Scores are calculated on a 100-point scale, with health and access to care weighted 55 points, nutrition/physical activity/obesity weighted 40 points and oral health weighted 5 points. Category ranks in this slideshow reflect each state’s position among all 51 jurisdictions (50 states plus D.C.) within that category.

“The quality of children’s health care should be one of the most important considerations for parents when deciding where to live,” Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst, said in the report. “Having access to quality pediatric and dental care, nutritious food and good spaces for recreation from a young age can give children a much better chance of growing up healthy and forming good habits that will last into their adult life.”