HOUSTON – Texas ranked as the fourth-worst state in the nation for healthcare in a new WalletHub study that compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia on healthcare costs, access and outcomes.
According to the personal finance website, Texas ranked 48th overall, with only three states scoring lower. The report evaluated states using 44 metrics, including insurance coverage, the number of doctors and hospital beds available, and health outcomes.
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WalletHub said Americans now spend an average of nearly $15,500 per year on healthcare, making affordability and access increasingly important when comparing healthcare systems.
Where Texas ranked
Among the categories highlighted in the report, Texas ranked:
- 25th for hospital beds per capita
- 46th for physicians per capita
- 43rd for dentists per capita
- 51st (last) for the percentage of insured adults
- 51st (last) for the percentage of insured children
- 34th for the percentage of at-risk adults who had not seen a doctor for a routine visit in the past two years
- 49th for the percentage of adults who had not visited a dentist in the past year
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said the best healthcare systems balance affordability with quality and accessibility.
“The best health care in the nation isn’t helpful if it bankrupts the people who try to get it, and cheap health care isn’t worth paying for if it provides subpar or ineffective treatment,” Lupo said.
Which states ranked highest?
According to the report, the top five states for healthcare in 2026 were:
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Minnesota
- Iowa
- Massachusetts
WalletHub’s rankings were based on three main categories:
- Healthcare costs
- Access to care
- Health outcomes
Researchers analyzed data from a variety of sources to score each state before calculating an overall ranking.