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US vaccination rates show large state by state disparities

Vaccination rates in the US show considerable variation, with some areas poorly served.

Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic said last week that it was ready to supply up to 10 million doses of its vaccine targeting mpox by the end of 2025
Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic said that it was ready to supply up to 10 million doses of its vaccine targeting mpox by the end of 2025 - Copyright GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP Ian Willms
Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic said that it was ready to supply up to 10 million doses of its vaccine targeting mpox by the end of 2025 - Copyright GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP Ian Willms

With vaccines preventing 4 to 5 million deaths worldwide per year, according to the World Health Organization, the importance of promoting vaccines is clear. However, in some communities the vaccination rates have fallen, not least due to misinformation campaigns. This is particularly the case with the U.S.

To assess the situation across the U.S., the personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2025’s States that Vaccinate the Most.

In order to find out which states vaccinate most, WalletHub analysed the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 16 key metrics, ranging from the share of vaccinated children to the share of people without health insurance to the flu vaccination rate among adults.

The states with the highest vaccination rates were identified to be:

1. Massachusetts

2. New Hampshire

3. Washington

4. Connecticut

5. Rhode Island

6. Vermont

7. Maine

8. North Dakota

9. Wisconsin

10. Iowa

In a statement provided to Digital Journal, Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst states: “Massachusetts is the state that vaccinates the most. It’s one of only 18 states that allow minors to receive vaccinations without parental consent, and it requires children to be vaccinated against common diseases before attending kindergarten, too. In addition, Massachusetts has the second-highest share of adults with flu vaccinations, at over 59%, and the highest rate for children, at over 75%.”

In contrast, the states with the lowest vaccination rates were found to be:

42. Alaska

43. Arizona

44. Wyoming

45. Florida

46. Oklahoma

47. Kentucky

48. Georgia

49. Alabama

50. Nevada

51. Mississippi

In-between these rankings, some interesting variations with the data arose. Topping the poll, Massachusetts has the highest influenza vaccination coverage for children. This is 2.1 times higher than in Mississippi, the state with the lowest.

Taking a more specific form of vaccine, Vermont has the highest share of adults with the tetanus vaccination, which is 1.6 times higher than in Mississippi, the state with the lowest. Continuing with this state, Vermont has the highest share of adults aged 60 and older with the zoster vaccination, which is 1.9 times higher than in Mississippi, the state with the lowest. Minnesota has the highest share of children 19 to 35 months old living in poverty with the combined 7-vaccine series, which is 1.7 times higher than in California, the state with the lowest.

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Written By

Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

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