Drug-related deaths among older adults rose 58% between 2018-2020 and 2021-2023, according to America’s Health Rankings.
America’s Health Rankings, run by the UnitedHealth Foundation, published its annual senior report May 6.
Overall, the early death rate among older adults decreased by 9% between 2022 and 2023, but suicide and drug deaths increased.
The report compares states across 55 measures of health. Vermont was the highest-ranked state overall, while Mississippi was the lowest-ranked.
South Dakota had the lowest rate of drug-related deaths among adults 65 and older, while Nevada had the highest. Data for North Dakota was not available. Nationwide, there were 13.3 drug-related deaths per 100,000 older adults, according to the report.
Here is how states compare on drug-related deaths per 100,000 adults 65 and older:
1. South Dakota: 4.1
2. Nebraska: 4.9
3. Arkansas: 6.8
4. Iowa: 6.9
5. Montana: 7.3
6. Minnesota: 8
7. Alabama: 8.1
8. New Hampshire: 8.7
9. Mississippi: 11
10. Georgia: 8.9
11. North Carolina: 9.5
12. Virginia: 9.8
T-13. Idaho: 10.2
T-13. Texas: 10.2
15. Florida: 10.7
16. Vermont: 10.8
17. Maine: 10.9
18. Wisconsin: 11.4
T-19. Indiana: 11.7
T-19. Wyoming: 11.7
T-21. Kansas: 11.9
T-21. Missouri: 11.9
23. New Jersey: 12.7
24. Kentucky: 12.9
25. Utah: 13
26. Massachusetts: 13.4
27. Pennsylvania: 13.5
28. Ohio: 13.6
29. Illinois: 13.7
30. Michigan: 14
31. Oklahoma: 14.1
32. Arizona: 14.2
33. Tennessee: 14.3
34. Hawaii: 14.6
35. Louisiana: 15
36. New York: 15.2
37. South Carolina: 15.4
T-38. Alaska: 16.1
T-38. Colorado: 16.1
40. Oregon: 16.8
41. California: 17
42. Delaware: 17.4
43. Connecticut: 17.7
44. Rhode Island: 18.2
45. Washington: 18.5
46. New Mexico: 19
47. West Virginia: 19.4
48. Maryland: 20.8
49. Nevada: 22.5