2018’s State Uninsured Rates
3:49 AMPosted by: John S Kiernan
Having health insurance is vital to the well-being of your family and your wallet. It not only ensures that you have access to the care you need, but it also can significantly reduce your out-of-pocket medical expenses, the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S.
After the passage of the Affordable Care Act — dubbed “Obamacare” — the uninsured rate for all adult Americans dipped to a historic low of 10.9% in the last quarter of 2016, according to Gallup. But the uninsured rate is back on the rise and was 12.2% in the fourth quarter of 2017. According to a study by the Commonwealth Fund it now sits at 15.5%.
With the ACA still in place but uninsured rates rising, WalletHub measured the post-Obamacare uninsured rates in each of the 50 states. For an even broader perspective of those rates, we broke the national figures down to categories such as race and income level. In addition, we conducted the same analysis at the city level. Read on for our findings, expert insight from a panel of experts and a full description of our methodology.
- Main Findings
- Uninsured Rates over Time
- Medicaid States vs. Non-Medicaid States
- Red vs. Blue States
- Ask the Experts
- Methodology
Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/4800/geochart-uninsured-state.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2pOpgfV>
Uninsured Rates by State
Overall Rank* (1 = Lowest) |
State |
Change in Uninsured Rate Between 2010 & 2017 |
2017 Children’s Uninsured Rate (Rank) |
2017 Adults’ Uninsured Rate (Rank) |
2017 Whites’ Uninsured Rate (Rank) |
2017 Blacks’ Uninsured Rate (Rank) |
2017 Hispanics’ Uninsured Rate (Rank) |
2017 Low-Income Households’ Uninsured Rate (Rank) |
2017 High-Income Households’ Uninsured Rate (Rank) |
|||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Massachusetts | -1.61% | 1.50%(1) | 3.16%(1) | 2.00%(1) | 4.80%(5) | 5.50%(2) | 4.05%(1) | 1.60%(2) | |||
2 | Hawaii | -4.04% | 2.20%(4) | 4.35%(2) | 4.10%(11) | 1.40%(1) | 4.50%(1) | 5.61%(3) | 2.70%(8) | |||
3 | Minnesota | -4.67% | 3.40%(16) | 4.71%(3) | 3.20%(3) | 6.40%(10) | 17.30%(26) | 7.37%(6) | 2.10%(3) | |||
4 | Vermont | -3.49% | 1.60%(2) | 5.32%(6) | 4.50%(15) | 2.30%(3) | 6.20%(3) | 4.80%(2) | 3.10%(15) | |||
5 | Rhode Island | -7.56% | 2.10%(3) | 5.31%(5) | 2.60%(2) | 6.80%(13) | 11.80%(11) | 7.49%(8) | 1.50%(1) | |||
6 | Iowa | -4.60% | 3.10%(11) | 5.24%(4) | 3.80%(8) | 7.20%(15) | 13.90%(16) | 7.60%(10) | 2.30%(4) | |||
7 | Michigan | -7.19% | 3.00%(10) | 5.84%(8) | 4.50%(15) | 6.50%(11) | 11.10%(8) | 7.35%(5) | 2.50%(6) | |||
8 | Kentucky | -9.87% | 3.80%(20) | 5.90%(10) | 4.50%(15) | 6.70%(12) | 19.90%(32) | 7.41%(7) | 2.60%(7) | |||
9 | Wisconsin | -4.02% | 3.90%(22) | 5.88%(9) | 4.20%(13) | 7.20%(15) | 15.80%(19) | 8.62%(14) | 2.30%(4) | |||
10 | Delaware | -4.28% | 3.50%(17) | 5.98%(11) | 3.70%(7) | 4.70%(4) | 18.30%(27) | 8.22%(12) | 3.00%(10) | |||
11 | Connecticut | -3.62% | 3.10%(11) | 6.18%(12) | 3.20%(3) | 7.40%(20) | 13.60%(15) | 8.44%(13) | 3.00%(10) | |||
12 | Pennsylvania | -4.67% | 4.40%(24) | 5.81%(7) | 4.60%(18) | 7.00%(14) | 12.60%(13) | 7.74%(11) | 3.10%(15) | |||
13 | New York | -6.23% | 2.70%(8) | 6.55%(14) | 3.40%(6) | 6.20%(8) | 11.00%(7) | 7.50%(9) | 3.60%(23) | |||
14 | New Hampshire | -5.32% | 2.30%(5) | 6.74%(15) | 5.30%(22) | 11.70%(36) | 12.00%(12) | 9.34%(18) | 2.80%(9) | |||
15 | Ohio | -6.34% | 4.50%(27) | 6.42%(13) | 5.30%(22) | 7.50%(21) | 14.40%(17) | 8.68%(15) | 3.00%(10) | |||
16 | West Virginia | -8.50% | 2.60%(6) | 7.09%(17) | 5.90%(26) | 9.20%(27) | 6.90%(4) | 7.33%(4) | 3.00%(10) | |||
17 | Washington | -8.13% | 2.60%(6) | 7.19%(18) | 4.20%(13) | 7.20%(15) | 16.80%(25) | 9.33%(17) | 3.30%(18) | |||
18 | Maryland | -5.13% | 3.80%(20) | 6.86%(16) | 3.30%(5) | 6.00%(7) | 22.00%(36) | 9.21%(16) | 3.60%(23) | |||
19 | Illinois | -6.96% | 2.90%(9) | 8.06%(21) | 4.10%(11) | 7.30%(18) | 16.10%(20) | 10.71%(22) | 3.00%(10) | |||
20 | Oregon | -10.30% | 3.60%(18) | 7.81%(20) | 5.20%(20) | 6.20%(8) | 16.30%(22) | 9.96%(19) | 3.30%(18) | |||
21 | California | -11.38% | 3.10%(11) | 8.47%(22) | 3.90%(10) | 5.70%(6) | 11.60%(9) | 10.44%(21) | 4.00%(29) | |||
22 | Colorado | -8.41% | 4.30%(23) | 8.53%(23) | 5.20%(20) | 7.30%(18) | 14.80%(18) | 11.41%(25) | 4.00%(29) | |||
23 | North Dakota | -2.24% | 7.50%(43) | 7.53%(19) | 5.30%(22) | 14.80%(46) | 16.10%(20) | 13.04%(29) | 3.10%(15) | |||
24 | New Jersey | -5.51% | 3.70%(19) | 8.96%(26) | 3.80%(8) | 9.10%(26) | 18.50%(28) | 13.66%(32) | 3.80%(26) | |||
25 | Arkansas | -9.60% | 4.40%(24) | 9.03%(27) | 6.10%(27) | 7.50%(21) | 22.00%(36) | 10.08%(20) | 4.20%(33) | |||
26 | Maine | -2.03% | 4.90%(31) | 8.92%(25) | 7.90%(39) | 9.40%(28) | 11.70%(10) | 12.47%(28) | 3.60%(23) | |||
27 | Indiana | -6.66% | 6.30%(40) | 8.79%(24) | 6.90%(34) | 10.60%(31) | 20.50%(34) | 12.13%(27) | 3.90%(28) | |||
28 | Nebraska | -3.23% | 5.10%(32) | 9.42%(29) | 5.80%(25) | 13.20%(42) | 22.50%(38) | 13.66%(33) | 3.30%(18) | |||
29 | Louisiana | -9.46% | 3.10%(11) | 10.18%(34) | 6.40%(32) | 8.60%(24) | 28.10%(45) | 10.98%(24) | 3.80%(26) | |||
30 | Montana | -8.86% | 5.80%(38) | 9.28%(28) | 7.10%(35) | 21.50%(49) | 8.60%(5) | 10.80%(23) | 5.00%(41) | |||
31 | Kansas | -5.15% | 5.20%(37) | 10.00%(30) | 6.50%(33) | 12.60%(40) | 20.40%(33) | 15.08%(38) | 3.50%(22) | |||
32 | Virginia | -4.23% | 5.10%(32) | 10.01%(31) | 6.30%(31) | 10.70%(32) | 23.60%(39) | 15.20%(39) | 4.20%(33) | |||
33 | South Dakota | -3.31% | 6.20%(39) | 10.12%(33) | 6.10%(27) | 11.80%(37) | 16.40%(24) | 13.72%(34) | 4.80%(38) | |||
34 | New Mexico | -10.50% | 5.10%(32) | 10.48%(36) | 5.10%(19) | 2.20%(2) | 10.50%(6) | 11.75%(26) | 4.80%(38) | |||
35 | Missouri | -4.02% | 5.10%(32) | 10.45%(35) | 7.90%(39) | 13.10%(41) | 18.90%(29) | 14.30%(37) | 3.40%(21) | |||
36 | Utah | -6.18% | 7.30%(41) | 10.01%(32) | 6.10%(27) | 7.80%(23) | 25.80%(42) | 16.46%(43) | 4.90%(40) | |||
37 | Alabama | -5.23% | 3.10%(11) | 11.39%(39) | 7.60%(37) | 10.80%(33) | 26.50%(43) | 14.29%(36) | 4.00%(29) | |||
38 | Tennessee | -4.84% | 4.40%(24) | 11.14%(38) | 7.90%(39) | 10.30%(30) | 29.80%(47) | 13.57%(31) | 4.60%(36) | |||
39 | Arizona | -6.82% | 7.70%(45) | 10.85%(37) | 6.20%(30) | 8.70%(25) | 16.30%(22) | 13.90%(35) | 5.10%(42) | |||
40 | Idaho | -7.60% | 4.60%(28) | 12.29%(41) | 8.30%(42) | 11.60%(35) | 21.00%(35) | 13.12%(30) | 5.90%(44) | |||
41 | North Carolina | -6.09% | 4.80%(29) | 12.56%(42) | 7.80%(38) | 11.00%(34) | 30.30%(49) | 16.48%(44) | 4.10%(32) | |||
42 | South Carolina | -6.54% | 5.10%(32) | 12.81%(43) | 8.70%(43) | 12.30%(39) | 30.10%(48) | 16.22%(41) | 4.70%(37) | |||
43 | Nevada | -11.39% | 8.00%(46) | 12.26%(40) | 7.10%(35) | 9.90%(29) | 19.50%(31) | 15.83%(40) | 7.10%(48) | |||
44 | Mississippi | -6.15% | 4.80%(29) | 14.59%(46) | 10.00%(48) | 13.70%(44) | 29.60%(46) | 16.43%(42) | 4.50%(35) | |||
45 | Wyoming | -2.67% | 9.50%(48) | 13.19%(44) | 10.30%(49) | 22.60%(50) | 25.20%(41) | 18.08%(46) | 6.60%(45) | |||
46 | Florida | -8.32% | 7.30%(41) | 14.49%(45) | 9.40%(44) | 15.30%(48) | 19.30%(30) | 17.31%(45) | 6.70%(46) | |||
47 | Georgia | -6.27% | 7.50%(43) | 15.53%(48) | 9.70%(46) | 13.60%(43) | 33.00%(50) | 20.33%(49) | 5.60%(43) | |||
48 | Alaska | -6.20% | 9.60%(49) | 15.15%(47) | 9.60%(45) | 12.20%(38) | 13.40%(14) | 18.49%(47) | 10.50%(50) | |||
49 | Oklahoma | -4.70% | 8.10%(47) | 16.35%(49) | 10.50%(50) | 13.90%(45) | 24.70%(40) | 19.72%(48) | 7.00%(47) | |||
50 | Texas | -6.41% | 10.70%(50) | 19.86%(50) | 9.80%(47) | 15.00%(47) | 26.90%(44) | 25.17%(50) | 8.00%(49) | |||
National | -6.72% | 5.00%() | 9.93%() | 5.90%() | 10.00%() | 17.80%() | 13.15%() | 4.20%() |
*Note: Overall rank based on 2017 uninsured rates
Uninsured Rates over Time

Ask the Experts
For insight on the future of the ACA, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:
- Do you think ACA had an overall positive effect on the U.S. health insurance marketplace? Are there states that had gained/ lost more than others?
- How can the almost flat insurance rate be explained?
- What do you think is the most common misconception people have about ACA?
Lynn Blewett Ph.D., Professor, Division of Health Policy and Management; Director, State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC), University of Minnesota
Ann Marie Marciarille Ph.D.,Professor of Law, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law
Walter Zelman Professor and Director of Health Science, California State University, Los Angeles
Donald Brady Assistant Professor, Department of Health Care Administration, School of Health Sciences, Methodist University
Erin Trish Ph.D.,Associate Director, Health Policy, USC Schaeffer Center; Assistant Research Professor, University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy
In order to measure the rates of uninsured by state, WalletHub compared the overall insurance rates in the 50 states in 2017 using U.S. Census Bureau data. In addition to comparing overall insurance rates, we examined the state rates based on age, race and income.
An overall rank of No. 1 corresponds with the state with the lowest uninsured rate. When viewing our findings in the above tables, please note that the change in uninsured rate refers to the difference between the percentages of uninsured in 2017 and 2010. A small change in the absolute difference does not necessarily indicate a negative outcome, as the percentage of uninsured people pre-Obamacare may have already been low to start with.
Health Insurance Rate by Age Group- Health Insurance Rate for Children (Aged 0 to 18)
- Health Insurance Rate for Adults (Aged 19 & Older)
- Health Insurance Rate for Whites
- Health Insurance Rate for Black or African Americans
- Health Insurance Rate for Hispanic or Latino
- Health Insurance Rate for Lower-Income Households ($50,000 or less)
- Health Insurance Rate for Higher-Income Households ($100,000 or more)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Image: Evgeny Atamanenko / Shutterstock.com
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