The Big Spenders: States with the Highest Per Capita Healthcare Costs
Let’s start with the states where healthcare spending is the highest per person.
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New York consistently tops the charts. In 2020, the Empire State spent around $14,000 per resident on personal healthcare. That’s nearly double the national average. High living costs, dense populations, and some of the most advanced hospitals in the country drive this number up.
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Massachusetts is another heavyweight, with spending above $13,000 per person. Home to world-class medical schools and hospitals, the state leads in innovation—but it comes at a cost.
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Alaska and Delaware also rank high. Alaska, for example, faces the unique challenge of delivering care across vast rural areas, which pushes up costs. Delaware has a smaller population but high healthcare prices.
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The District of Columbia (D.C.) isn’t technically a state, but it deserves mention: spending here is more than $15,000 per person, the highest in the nation.
These high-spending states often boast strong healthcare systems, but the question remains: are residents actually healthier, or are they just paying more?
Keep reading to see the States with the Lowest Per Capita Healthcare Costs.
