NEW JERSEY — New Jersey ranks as the sixth-best state in the country for children’s health care in 2026, according to a new report from personal-finance website WalletHub.
The study comes as families face rising health care costs, with workers paying an average of $6,850 annually toward employer-sponsored family coverage, and ahead of Every Kid Healthy Week, which begins April 20.
WalletHub evaluated all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 33 indicators measuring both the cost and quality of children’s health care. Metrics included overall child health, access to providers and insurance coverage rates.
New Jersey performed strongly in several areas, including ranking first for the lowest percentage of overweight children and fourth for infant mortality rate. The state also placed 11th for the number of pediatricians and family doctors per capita.
However, the state ranked 16th for the percentage of children in excellent or very good health and 21st for the percentage of uninsured children. It also ranked 12th for the percentage of children with excellent or very good dental health.
The rankings reflect a mix of strengths in health outcomes and access to care, along with areas where improvement is still needed, particularly in insurance coverage and overall child health.
The full report is available on WalletHub’s website.
