Health Data Shows Massachusetts Most Insured State, Texas Ranks Last
New data released by the U.S. Census Bureau provides insight into health insurance coverage for each of the nation's more than 3,000 counties.
Small Area Health Insurance Estimates for 2009, released earlier this month, are the only figures measuring insurance coverage for all counties.
A Governing review of county-level SAHIE data found 53 areas throughout the country had more than a third of the population uninsured.
Texas, home to 37 of these counties, has the highest uninsured rate in the United States for those younger than 65 at 26.3 percent.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has faced criticism for the state's low ranking in recent GOP presidential debates. Perry's supporters attribute the high numbers to the state's presence of illegal immigrants.
Hidalgo County, Texas, was the largest county to rank near the bottom of the list. The county, which borders Mexico, is one of the poorest in the nation.
Massachusetts boasts the highest rate of insured residents at an estimated 95.1 percent of those younger than 65. The state enacted a law in 2006 mandating nearly every resident obtain health coverage, while offering free insurance to some with low incomes.
Of the 20 highest insured rates nationwide, 14 of the counties were in the state.
The SAHIE program is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with other health groups. Estimates are compiled using census data, food stamp participation, aggregated tax returns, Medicaid records and other data sets.
View data for your area by selecting a state and county below. Please note that all estimates are for the population younger than 65.
Further breakdowns of health insurance estimates can be obtained from the Census Bureau.
GOVERNING By the Numbers is a companion to GOVERNING Data that digests the growing body of work at the intersection of computer-assisted journalism, data visualization and government transparency.
GOVERNING By the Numbers is dedicated to telling important stories through numbers, with a focus on both our original work in data visualization on GOVERING Data and providing an ongoing tally of editor's picks of new and notable data releases of use to those in government and those who care about it.
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