A new ranking from the World Population Review compares countries using a global health index that evaluates life expectancy, infrastructure, and everyday lifestyle factors. The results challenge common assumptions about wealth and well-being.
Taiwan tops the list, the Pacific island nation of Niue lands at the absolute bottom, and the United States — despite its massive economic footprint — falls somewhere in between.
How countries are ranked for health
World Population Review compiles data from global health studies and indexes that measure overall public well-being, such as the Bloomberg Global Health Index. They evaluate a blend of life expectancy, environmental quality, diet, access to medical care, and lifestyle risks.
Instead of focusing exclusively on hospital beds or gross spending, the index examines how daily living conditions shape long-term health outcomes. Countries that score well typically combine highly accessible public health systems with culturally ingrained healthy habits and low pollution levels.
Topping the list
Taiwan earns the highest overall score, edging out several heavily developed European and Asian nations.
Other high-ranking countries include Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, and South Korea. Many of these nations emphasize preventive care, maintain walkable cities, and consume diets rich in whole foods. Residents almost universally benefit from broad health coverage, efficient public transportation networks, and lower obesity rates.
These structural advantages actively reduce chronic disease rates and support a longer average life expectancy.
Bottom of the list
At the other end of the ranking, nations facing severe geographic isolation, economic struggles, and infrastructure challenges rank at the bottom.
The Pacific island nation of Niue — which has a population of less than 2,000 — records the lowest overall score in the dataset, followed closely by the Cook Islands and the Marshall Islands. This highlights a stark global divide in resource distribution. When countries are exceptionally isolated or facing severe economic hardship, residents often lack access to comprehensive medical facilities and basic public health resources.
Rankings vary by methodology, but the countries at the very bottom consistently lack the foundational infrastructure needed to support long-term systemic public health.
The United States’ ranking
The United States misses the top tier entirely, landing at 61st on the index.
To put that into perspective, Germany sits comfortably at 14th, while France ranks 18th. Even among large, English-speaking peers, the U.S. trails significantly. Australia ranks 32nd, the United Kingdom 36th, and Canada 40th.
Despite spending more than $4 trillion on the healthcare sector annually, the U.S. lags behind in life expectancy and struggles with much higher chronic disease rates. Factors such as obesity, heart disease, and unequal access to routine preventive care suppress the national score.
The country leads the world in advanced medical technology and pharmaceutical research, but these global comparisons reveal a hard truth. Broad public health outcomes depend far more on daily lifestyle habits and accessible prevention than on high-end, reactive treatment.
What this could mean for Americans
Top-ranked countries share highly repeatable daily patterns. People walk more often than driving short distances. Meals focus heavily on vegetables, lean proteins, and minimally processed ingredients. Social connections remain strong well into older age, which actively combats cognitive decline.
Regular preventive screenings and primary care visits also play a central role in catching issues early. Your zip code influences your baseline health outcomes, but your daily choices still dictate your trajectory. Consistent improvements in diet, movement, and preventive care compound over time.
Global rankings shift from year to year, and no single index tells the full story of human health. However, they do offer a useful reminder that health is not just about medical treatment. It is about your physical environment, your daily habits, and your active approach to care.
For American households, the lesson is clear. Investing time and resources into prevention, staying physically active, and making informed lifestyle choices pays dividends that no ranking system can fully measure.
Forewarned is forearmed, so start with a health screening. Life Line Screening reveals hidden risks so you can act early. Book a screening today and have peace of mind.
