2012
These statistics were prepared using water system data reported by states to the CDC Water Fluoridation Reporting System as of December 31, 2012, and the US Census Bureau state population estimates for 2012.
National Water Fluoridation Statistics
Total US population, peoplea | 313,914,040 |
US population on community water systems (CWS), peopleb | 282,534,910 |
Total US population on fluoridated drinking water systems, peopleb | 210,655,401 |
Percentage of US population receiving fluoridated waterc | 67.1% |
Percentage of US population on CWS receiving fluoridated waterd | 74.6% |
Total number of CWS in United Statesb | 52,734 |
Number of CWS providing fluoridated waterb | 18,502 |
Number of CWS adjusting fluorideb | 5,999 |
Number of CWS consecutive to systems with optimal fluoride levelsb | 6,342 |
Number of CWS with naturally occurring fluoride at or above optimal levelsb,e | 6,151 |
Population served by CWS with naturally occurring fluoride at or above optimal levelsb,e | 11,116,202 |
State Fluoridation Percentage Calculations and States Ranked by Fluoridation Percentage
State | Persons receiving fluoridated water | Persons served by CWS | % | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 210,655,401 | 282,534,910 | 74.6% | |
Alabamaf | 3,812,180 | 4,849,377 | 78.6% | 23 |
Alaska | 361,240 | 682,528 | 52.9% | 41 |
Arizona | 3,199,068 | 5,536,324 | 57.8% | 38 |
Arkansas | 1,785,679 | 2,669,485 | 66.9% | 33 |
Californiaf,g,h | 24,215,234 | 38,041,430 | 63.7% | 34 |
Coloradof | 3,757,694 | 5,187,582 | 72.4% | 28 |
Connecticut | 2,350,532 | 2,603,377 | 90.3% | 14 |
Delaware | 705,824 | 818,110 | 86.3% | 19 |
District of Columbia | 595,000 | 595,000 | 100% | |
Florida | 13,371,262 | 17,149,724 | 78.0% | 24 |
Georgiaf | 9,551,793 | 9,919,945 | 96.3% | 6 |
Hawaii | 139,598 | 1,290,549 | 10.8% | 50 |
Idaho | 395,863 | 1,097,332 | 36.1% | 46 |
Illinoisf | 12,682,543 | 12,875,255 | 98.5% | 3 |
Indiana | 4,342,273 | 44,582,496 | 94.8% | 8 |
Iowa | 2,555,593 | 2,778,894 | 92.0% | 12 |
Kansas | 1,719,503 | 2,702,452 | 63.6% | Tied for 35 |
Kentuckyf | 4,375,026 | 4,380,415 | 99.9% | 1 |
Louisianaf | 1,996,568 | 4,601,893 | 43.4% | 45 |
Maine | 527,163 | 664,063 | 79.4% | 22 |
Maryland | 5,060,379 | 5,204,155 | 97.2% | 4 |
Massachusettsf | 4,681,038 | 6,646,144 | 70.4% | 31 |
Michigan | 7,218,670 | 7,999,859 | 90.2% | 15 |
Minnesota | 4,134,663 | 4,184,753 | 98.8% | 2 |
Mississippif | 1,738,478 | 2,984,926 | 58.2% | 37 |
Missouri | 3,994,342 | 5,226,360 | 76.4% | 26 |
Montana | 252,299 | 788,805 | 32.0% | 47 |
Nebraska | 1,015,094 | 1,425,664 | 71.2% | 30 |
Nevada | 1,870,698 | 2,544,079 | 73.5% | 27 |
New Hampshire | 383,333 | 832,631 | 46.0% | 43 |
New Jersey | 1,206,270 | 8,288,715 | 14.6% | 49 |
New Mexico | 1,210,877 | 1,571,600 | 77.0% | 25 |
New York | 12,989,488 | 18,094,452 | 71.8% | 29 |
North Carolina | 6,164,847 | 7,042,655 | 87.5% | 18 |
North Dakota | 612,560 | 633,645 | 96.7% | 5 |
Ohio | 9,716,289 | 10,537,957 | 92.2% | 11 |
Oklahoma | 2,486,718 | 3,548,057 | 70.1% | 32 |
Oregon | 833,557 | 3,688,540 | 22.6% | 48 |
Pennsylvania | 5,885,390 | 10,780,146 | 54.6% | 40 |
Rhode Island | 837,549 | 997,824 | 83.9% | 20 |
South Carolina | 3,602,956 | 3,839,526 | 93.8% | 9 |
South Dakota | 646,671 | 690,759 | 93.6% | 10 |
Tennessee | 5,229,461 | 5,826,866 | 89.7% | 16 |
Texas | 20,002,506 | 25,113,656 | 79.6% | 21 |
Utah | 1,384,638 | 2,676,448 | 51.7% | 42 |
Vermont | 252,920 | 450,483 | 56.1% | 39 |
Virginia | 6,159,737 | 6,416,760 | 96.0% | 7 |
Washington | 3,515,797 | 5,525,840 | 63.6% | Tied for 35 |
West Virginia | 1,365,697 | 1,499,749 | 91.1% | 13 |
Wisconsin | 3,597,525 | 4,025,756 | 89.4% | 17 |
Wyoming | 195,891 | 449,223 | 43.6% | 44 |
Footnotes
a. Census Population Count 2012. Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010, to July 1, 2012, (NST-EST2012-01). Source: US Census Bureau, Population Division. Release Date: December 2012. Available at http://www.census.gov/popest/data/intercensal/state/state2012.html.
b. Reported in CDC Water Fluoridation Reporting System (WFRS). For purposes of this report, a water system is considered a community water system if so designated by the state drinking water administrator in accordance with the regulatory requirements of the US Environmental Protection Agency. In general, public water systems provide water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances to at least 15 service connections, or serve an average of at least 25 people for at least 60 days a year. A community water system is a public water system that supplies water to the same population year-round. Available at http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/drinkingwater/pws/factoids.cfm.
c. Fluoridated population divided by total population.
d. Fluoridated population divided by population served by community water systems.
e. The increase from 2010 to 2012 in the population served by CWS with naturally occurring fluoride at or above optimal levels is due in part to two changes: 1) several states have improved the completeness and accuracy of their data for the natural fluoride concentration of community water systems and 2) some states had implemented the proposed recommendation of 0.7mg/L as the optimal concentration of fluoride in drinking water by December 31, 2012. See Federal Register Notice. Available at https://federalregister.gov/a/2011-637.
f . Population served by CWS exceeded the US Census state population estimate; number of people was reduced by the ratio of the population estimate to the CWS population estimate.
g. Complete data were not available from WFRS; state provided additional information.
h. California is developing new methodology to describe the fluoridated status of water systems that draw water from multiple sources (e.g., ground water, surface water). This report does not reflect California’s new methodology.
Additional Resources
More detail on U.S. Census Bureau estimates can be found at Calculating Fluoridation Statistics
Historical fluoridation statistics are available at Fluoridation Statistics
- Page last reviewed: November 22, 2013
- Page last updated: November 22, 2013
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