When it comes to health, West Virginia is used to being on the wrong end of the numbers.

It’s one of the poorest states in the nation. More than 1 in 4 residents depend on Medicaid, a program that provides health care for low-income children and some adults. West Virginia has the highest obesity rate in the nation among adults, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The state earned an “F” grade from March of Dimes in 2024 for its high rate of preterm births.

But on childhood vaccination rates, it’s a standout. During the 2023-24 school year, more than 98% of kindergarteners in West Virginia were vaccinated against diseases such as measles, pertussis and chickenpox, making it first in the nation, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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