1. Montana – Overall Grade: A+ (100)

Montana may be known for its badlands, but it is an excellent land for senior healthcare, notching the best overall grade in the nation. The state’s primary strength was its healthcare accessibility for older citizens. With a population of just over 1.1M, its healthcare access score was second among all states – a number aided by the Montana Rural Physician Incentive Program that subsidizes and attracts medical professionals. Montana also had many Medicare hospitals per resident aged 65 or older. Additionally, Montana has been on the leading edge of telehealth initiatives designed to aid a dispersed citizenry comprising the third lowest population density in the country.

The state also ranked 7th for its healthcare cost score, thanks to moderately lower insurance premiums and annual drug costs, which are about 40 percent lower than the national average. A notably low death rate from strokes helped its medical outcomes score, which was 18th best in the country.