CDC PLACES County-Level Data

High Blood Pressure by State

The national average county-level high blood pressure prevalence is 37.8% of adults. Hypertension is the most common modifiable risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Rural communities face elevated rates driven by higher obesity, limited preventive care access, and lower rates of blood pressure monitoring and medication adherence.

37.8%

National Average

States Above 35%

Highest (47.9%)

Lowest (31.7%)

High Blood Pressure Prevalence Map

Average county-level high blood pressure prevalence by state. Darker colors indicate higher rates. Click a state to explore its full health profile.

55%

% of counties with no hospital

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All 50 States Ranked by High Blood Pressure

Sorted by highest average county-level hypertension rate. Click any column header to re-sort. Click a state name to see its full profile.

#	State	Avg Hypertension % ▼	Avg Obesity %	Avg Heart Disease %	PCPs/100K
1	MississippiMS	47.9%	42.8%	8.5%	56.2
2	AlabamaAL	47.1%	42.2%	8.6%	65.4
3	West VirginiaWV	46.0%	41.8%	9.5%	81.6
4	ArkansasAR	45.7%	41.2%	9.2%	69.3
5	LouisianaLA	45.6%	42.5%	8.6%	72.0
6	South CarolinaSC	43.2%	39.4%	8.0%	67.3
7	TennesseeTN	43.0%	40.2%	8.6%	68.2
8	OklahomaOK	42.6%	41.0%	8.8%	59.2
9	GeorgiaGA	42.0%	38.5%	7.8%	67.5
10	North CarolinaNC	41.4%	37.8%	8.1%	70.3
11	MissouriMO	40.0%	39.0%	8.5%	72.1
12	FloridaFL	39.9%	34.8%	8.7%	73.0
13	IndianaIN	39.7%	40.1%	7.7%	66.1
14	MichiganMI	39.5%	38.1%	8.4%	80.5
15	VirginiaVA	39.5%	37.9%	7.6%	75.9
16	OhioOH	39.3%	39.5%	8.0%	76.7
17	DelawareDE	39.0%	36.7%	7.1%	78.2
18	TexasTX	38.6%	37.7%	7.7%	60.9
19	MarylandMD	38.5%	36.4%	6.6%	85.6
20	IllinoisIL	37.8%	38.9%	7.5%	82.6
21	KansasKS	37.7%	38.7%	7.9%	79.1
22	MaineME	37.6%	34.1%	8.4%	105.3
23	North DakotaND	37.4%	39.0%	7.9%	79.3
24	NebraskaNE	37.3%	39.6%	7.8%	75.1
25	New MexicoNM	37.3%	35.2%	8.5%	73.1
26	IowaIA	37.2%	39.4%	7.6%	74.3
27	NevadaNV	37.0%	35.1%	8.1%	58.4
28	ArizonaAZ	36.8%	33.3%	8.1%	63.9
29	OregonOR	36.7%	35.5%	8.0%	94.7
30	MontanaMT	36.6%	33.6%	8.0%	82.8
31	South DakotaSD	36.3%	37.1%	8.2%	80.5
32	WisconsinWI	35.8%	39.2%	7.7%	81.3
33	AlaskaAK	34.8%	36.2%	6.7%	93.9
34	IdahoID	34.7%	33.4%	7.6%	62.8
35	New YorkNY	34.6%	33.2%	6.9%	83.4
36	WashingtonWA	34.6%	34.3%	7.1%	85.1
37	MinnesotaMN	34.2%	37.0%	7.3%	89.9
38	New HampshireNH	34.1%	32.0%	6.6%	84.8
39	Rhode IslandRI	33.9%	29.5%	6.3%	93.2
40	WyomingWY	33.7%	34.3%	7.2%	71.2
41	VermontVT	33.6%	30.7%	6.8%	114.3
42	New JerseyNJ	33.4%	30.1%	5.8%	79.2
43	CaliforniaCA	33.3%	30.1%	6.8%	84.2
44	HawaiiHI	32.8%	28.6%	7.0%	88.1
45	ConnecticutCT	32.7%	30.7%	6.0%	83.7
46	MassachusettsMA	32.1%	28.1%	6.3%	102.2
47	UtahUT	31.8%	31.7%	6.4%	56.1
48	ColoradoCO	31.7%	27.4%	6.9%	83.1
49	KentuckyKY	—	—	—	63.2
50	PennsylvaniaPA	—	—	—	80.7

Source: CDC PLACES (county-level model-based estimates), AHRF (workforce), CMS Provider of Services (hospital data).

Why Hypertension Data Matters for Rural Health

High blood pressure affects nearly half of all American adults and is the single most important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke. In rural communities, hypertension prevalence is consistently higher than in urban areas — driven by higher rates of obesity, physical inactivity, and limited access to preventive care and chronic disease management.

For state health agencies and rural hospital leaders, county-level hypertension data reveals where cardiovascular risk is highest and where blood pressure management programs could prevent downstream hospitalizations. Uncontrolled hypertension drives emergency department visits for stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease — conditions that are costly to treat and devastating for patients.

The RHT Compass platform integrates CDC PLACES hypertension data with obesity prevalence, heart disease rates, and workforce metrics — helping decision-makers understand where hypertension burden and care gaps intersect, and where community health interventions could have the greatest impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the hypertension prevalence data come from?

High blood pressure prevalence estimates come from the CDC PLACES dataset, which provides model-based county-level estimates for chronic disease indicators. The data reflects diagnosed high blood pressure among adults aged 18 and older. RHT Compass averages county-level rates to produce each state's score.

Why do Southern states have higher hypertension rates?

The geographic pattern mirrors the “stroke belt” in the Southeastern United States, where higher obesity rates, dietary patterns high in sodium and processed foods, lower physical activity levels, and socioeconomic factors combine to produce elevated hypertension prevalence. These same states often have fewer primary care providers per capita.

How does hypertension relate to hospital utilization?

Uncontrolled hypertension is a leading cause of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for stroke, heart failure, heart attack, and kidney failure. For rural hospitals, hypertension-related admissions represent a significant portion of acute care volume. Effective community-based blood pressure management can reduce these costly downstream events.

Can I see county-level hypertension data for my state?

Yes. Every state profile page includes county-level CDC PLACES data, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic disease indicators. Click any state in the table above to see its full breakdown.

Explore Hypertension & Health Access in Your State

Every state page includes county-level chronic disease data, hospital financials, and workforce metrics. Start with your state, or request a demo of the full analytics platform.

Explore Your State Request a Demo

High blood pressure, obesity, and heart disease prevalence from CDC PLACES (model-based county-level estimates). Workforce data from HRSA Area Health Resources File (AHRF). Hospital data from CMS Provider of Services. Last updated: 2026-02-15.