Healthiest states in the U.S. — where does NJ rank?

New Jersey residents outscore their neighbors in New York and Pennsylvania, and the Garden State ranks as the tenth healthiest state in the nation, according to data services firm Ozmosi.

The Spring Lake-based company looked at a dozen key measures, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to come up with its 2023 rankings.

Compared to most other states, New Jersey posted better findings in the areas of cancer prevalence, adult smoking, obesity, coronary heart disease, and depression among adults.

Across the categories, New Jersey recorded a total score of 70.6. Hawaii, the highest-ranked state, received a score of 79.4. Colorado, Vermont, Utah, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, and Rhode Island are the other states that scored better than the Garden State.

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But New Jersey also fell short in a handful of categories.

"We probably want to do something about the quality of our air," said Beau Bush, president of Ozmosi. "Also, lower cholesterol and more sleep."

West Virginia and Kentucky tied as the least healthiest states in the nation (40 out of 100).

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