What to know
Biennially, CDC summarizes WFRS data into National Water Fluoridation Statistics. The 2016 statistics include the estimated proportion of the U.S. population receiving fluoridated water, and the estimated proportion of people on community water systems who receive fluoridated water, both nationally and in each state.
2016 national water fluoridation statistics
| Total U.S. population, personsa | 323,127,513 |
|---|---|
| U.S. population on community water systems (CWS), personsb,c | 276,969,134 |
| Total U.S. population on fluoridated drinking water systems, personsb,c | 201,565,162 |
| Percentage of U.S. population receiving fluoridated waterc,d | 62.4% |
| Percentage of U.S. population on CWS receiving fluoridated waterc,e | 72.8% |
| Total number of CWS in United Statesb | 52,286 |
| Number of CWS providing fluoridated waterb | 18,030 |
| Number of CWS adjusting fluorideb | 5,817 |
| Number of CWS consecutive to systems with optimal fluoride levelsb | 6,230 |
| Number of CWS with naturally occurring fluoride at or above optimal levelsb | 5,865 |
| Population served by CWS with naturally occurring fluoride at or above optimal levelsb,c | 11,283,910 |
2016 state fluoridation percentage calculations and rankings
| State | Persons Receiving Fluoridated Waterc | Persons Served by CWSc | % Population Served by CWS Receiving Fluoridated Water | Rankf |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | 201,565,162 | 276,969,134 | 72.8% | |
| Alabama | 3,367,031 | 4,314,476 | 78.0% | 24 |
| Alaska | 233,192 | 469,850 | 49.6% | 44 |
| Arizona | 3,868,308 | 6,694,514 | 57.8% | 39 |
| Arkansas | 2,431,541 | 2,840,231 | 85.6% | 20 |
| Californiag | 22,201,744 | 36,641,304 | 60.6% | 37 |
| Colorado | 3,893,189 | 5,197,242 | 74.9% | 29 |
| Connecticut | 2,421,487 | 2,704,505 | 89.5% | 16 |
| Delaware | 660,276 | 755,629 | 87.4% | 20 |
| District of Columbia | 681,170 | 681,170 | 100.0% | 1 |
| Floridag | 14,269,078 | 18,521,077 | 77.0% | 26 |
| Georgia | 8,348,197 | 8,681,891 | 96.2% | 6 |
| Hawaii | 154,360 | 1,370,079 | 11.3% | 51 |
| Idaho | 392,745 | 1,219,353 | 32.2% | 48 |
| Illinois | 11,474,462 | 11,648,817 | 98.5% | 4 |
| Indiana | 4,652,921 | 4,936,187 | 94.3% | 8 |
| Iowa | 2,280,194 | 2,526,141 | 90.3% | 14 |
| Kansas | 1,829,273 | 2,753,541 | 66.4% | 34 |
| Kentucky | 3,753,680 | 3,758,413 | 99.9% | 2 |
| Louisiana | 1,801,324 | 4,074,943 | 44.2% | 46 |
| Maine | 610,053 | 769,362 | 79.3% | 23 |
| Maryland | 4,579,173 | 4,901,590 | 93.4% | 10 |
| Massachusetts | 3,621,778 | 6,256,423 | 57.9% | 38 |
| Michigan | 6,492,531 | 7,240,436 | 89.7% | 15 |
| Minnesota | 4,294,393 | 4,346,035 | 98.8% | 3 |
| Mississippi | 1,548,369 | 2,539,375 | 61.0% | 36 |
| Missouri | 3,986,715 | 5,194,390 | 76.8% | 27 |
| Montana | 250,037 | 742,072 | 33.7% | 47 |
| Nebraska | 1,106,087 | 1,545,849 | 71.6% | 31 |
| Nevada | 2,076,200 | 2,768,047 | 75.0% | 28 |
| New Hampshire | 410,339 | 883,053 | 46.5% | 45 |
| New Jersey | 1,159,594 | 7,963,631 | 14.6% | 50 |
| New Mexico | 1,367,330 | 1,774,661 | 77.0% | 25 |
| New York | 12,655,170 | 17,660,481 | 71.7% | 30 |
| North Carolina | 5,814,174 | 6,631,229 | 87.7% | 19 |
| North Dakota | 672,662 | 702,333 | 95.8% | 7 |
| Ohio | 9,042,076 | 9,771,921 | 92.5% | 11 |
| Oklahoma | 2,499,519 | 3,593,399 | 69.6% | 32 |
| Oregon | 778,590 | 3,445,307 | 22.6% | 49 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,138,572 | 9,417,111 | 54.6% | 42 |
| Rhode Island | 796,730 | 943,071 | 84.5% | 22 |
| South Carolina | 3,404,278 | 3,725,371 | 91.4% | 12 |
| South Dakota | 734,542 | 785,109 | 93.6% | 9 |
| Tennessee | 5,382,302 | 6,087,058 | 88.4% | 17 |
| Texas | 17,017,307 | 25,158,299 | 67.6% | 33 |
| Utah | 1,578,107 | 2,995,452 | 52.7% | 43 |
| Vermont | 249,073 | 443,316 | 56.2% | 41 |
| Virginia | 6,428,007 | 6,677,652 | 96.3 | 5 |
| Washington | 3,962,936 | 6,201,066 | 63.9% | 35 |
| West Virginia | 1,301,998 | 1,442,417 | 90.3% | 13 |
| Wisconsin | 3,625,881 | 4,107,306 | 88.3% | 18 |
| Wyoming | 266,465 | 466,949 | 57.1% | 40 |
Footnotes
a Census Population Count 2016. Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010, to July 1, 2016. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Accessed April 10, 2024. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2010-2016/state/totals/
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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A community water system (CWS) supplies water to the same population year-round. It serves at least 25 people at their primary residences or at least 15 residences that are primary residences (for example, municipalities, mobile home park, sub-divisions). http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/drinkingwater/pws/factoids.cfm
c State populations served by CWS reported in WFRS are controlled using a product of the U.S. Census state population estimate and the U.S. Geological Survey's estimate of the percentages of state populations on public water systems. Populations served by each CWS are controlled proportionately within each state. For details on the population controlling method used, see Calculating Fluoridation Statistics. U.S. Geological Survey: Maupin MA, Kenny JF, Hutson SS, Lovelace JK, Barber NL, and Linsey KS. Estimated use of water in the United States in 2010: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1405; 2014. https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/cir1405
d Fluoridated population divided by total population.
e Fluoridated population divided by population served by community water systems.
f Rank is based on highest to lowest percentage of population served by CWS receiving fluoridated water. Includes all states and Washington DC (51 total rankings).
g Complete data were not available from WFRS. State provided additional information.