HOPE Data by Indicator

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Low Birthweight

Portion of infants weighing less than 2,500 grams at birth

Indicator Summary Score



0
 
100
Not available

Numbers listed on the maps are indicator summary scores, which measure how far a state has to go to meet the HOPE Goal (Distance to Goal) and how much variation there is across racial and ethnic groups within the state on the measure (Racial Inequity). Scores range from 0 to 100 with 100 indicating the state with the best combined performance. Hovering over a state reveals information on Distance to Goal and Racial Inequity separately.

99
AK
93
ME
97
VT
85
NH
94
WA
99
ID
75
MT
100
ND
93
MN
60
WI
61
MI
76
NY
71
CT
67
RI
86
MA
96
OR
61
NV
79
WY
98
SD
84
IA
59
IL
68
IN
62
OH
65
PA
51
NJ
16
DE
85
CA
89
UT
61
CO
75
NE
57
MO
61
KY
47
WV
72
VA
DC
71
MD
80
AZ
55
NM
73
KS
50
AR
0
MS
55
TN
54
NC
66
OK
33
LA
39
AL
53
GA
49
SC
68
HI
66
TX
63
FL
National Rate
8%

of infants are born with low birth weight

Hope Goal
5%

of infants born with low birth weight

Distance to Goal
107,146

fewer low-weight births would need to happen per year in the U.S. to achieve the HOPE Goal

Why it Matters

Reducing low birthweight in infants minimizes physical and mental morbidities experienced by low birthweight babies, and it reduces healthcare costs and hospitalization expenses later in life.

Indicator Summary

  • Black infants have a higher rate of low birth weight compared to other races with 13.6% of infants weighing less than 2,500 grams at birth.
  • Hispanic and White infants have lower rates of low birth weight compared to other races with 7.2% and 7.0% of infants weighing less than 2,500 grams at birth, respectively.
  • States in the Southeast generally fare poorly than other regions in infant low birth weight with Mississippi having the poorest outcomes.
  • Relatively, the Plains states have better outcomes for low birth weight in infants.
  • The Far West states also perform better in infant low birth weight with 3 states ranking in the top ten (Alaska, Oregon and Washington).
* Rates were suppressed for American Indians/Alaskan Native respondents in District of Columbia due to there being less than 40 births over the five-year period.

State Distance to Goal

Low Birthweight

This chart is interactive. Explore data by clicking the dots to select and compare different race and ethnicity groups.

4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
18%
5%

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