RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Highest Medicare coverage, US states · 2020

US states ranked by the share of people covered by Medicare, alone or in combination with other coverage (2020 ACS). A close proxy for retirement geography. West Virginia leads at 23.6%. 51 states qualify in total.

All statesAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPMEDICAREVS –

USUnited States331,449,28117.6%–

01West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37323.6%–

02Maine, MEME1,387,81723.0%–

03Florida, FLFL22,416,07722.0%–

04Vermont, VTVT647,10621.3%–

05Delaware, DEDE1,021,19120.7%–

06Montana, MTMT1,116,87520.4%–

07Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39120.4%–

08Alabama, ALAL5,086,76820.3%–

09South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22520.3%–

10Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63919.9%–

11New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24619.8%–

12Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82419.8%–

13New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86819.7%–

14Michigan, MIMI10,077,76119.5%–

15Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77919.4%–

16Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23519.3%–

17Oregon, OROR4,254,29319.2%–

18Missouri, MOMO6,191,81419.2%–

19Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83819.1%–

20Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80119.0%–

21Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38318.8%–

22Ohio, OHOH11,810,29318.8%–

23North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40418.6%–

24Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87218.5%–

25Iowa, IAIA3,210,50718.2%–

26Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63418.2%–

27South Dakota, SDSD907,42818.0%–

28Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50818.0%–

29Louisiana, LALA4,611,96118.0%–

30Wyoming, WYWY582,39717.7%–

31Indiana, ININ6,851,07317.7%–

32New York, NYNY19,852,36617.7%–

33Idaho, IDID1,934,26217.6%–

34Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05617.3%–

35Kansas, KSKS2,947,19717.2%–

36Nevada, NVNV3,184,61217.1%–

37Virginia, VAVA8,705,17017.1%–

38New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80917.1%–

39Washington, WAWA7,816,11616.8%–

40Nebraska, NENE1,978,70716.7%–

41Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44516.7%–

42Illinois, ILIL12,694,79816.6%–

43Maryland, MDMD6,206,01116.5%–

44North Dakota, NDND784,84116.1%–

45Georgia, GAGA10,940,40715.9%–

46Colorado, COCO5,862,18915.4%–

47California, CACA39,287,37715.3%–

48Texas, TXTX30,188,42413.6%–

49District of Columbia, DCDC681,29413.2%–

50Alaska, AKAK735,70613.1%–

51Utah, UTUT3,392,33111.8%–

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

Download CSV (full list, 51 rows)

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest medicare?

West Virginia ranks #1 with 23.6% (2020 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by medicare?

West Virginia, Maine, Florida, Vermont, Delaware.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2020 Decennial Census data.

How is medicare measured?

Share of the civilian noninstitutionalized population with Medicare coverage, alone or in combination (ACS S2704). Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census.