The most recent data on fluoridation statistics, online August 26, 2020.

These statistics were prepared using water system data reported by states to the CDC Water Fluoridation Reporting System as of December 31, 2018, the U.S. Census Bureau state population estimates for July 2018external icon, and population estimates served by public water supply as of 2015, as publishedexternal icon by the U.S. Geological Survey June 19, 2018.

2018 National Water Fluoridation Statistics

Total US population, personsa 327,167,434
US population on community water systems (CWS), personsb,c 284,075,868
Total US population on fluoridated drinking water systems, personsb,c 207,426,535
Percentage of US population receiving fluoridated waterc,d 63.4%
Percentage of US population on CWS receiving fluoridated waterc,e 73.0%
Total number of CWS providing fluoridated waterb 52,221
Number of CWS providing fluoridated waterb 17,917
Number of CWS adjusting fluorideb 5,753
Number of CWS consecutive to systems with optimal fluoride levelsb 6,340
Number of CWS with naturally occurring fluoride at or above optimal levelsb 5,727
Population served by CWS with naturally occurring fluoride at or above optimal levelsb,c 12,059,342

2018 State Fluoridation Percentage Calculations and States Ranked by Fluoridation Percentage

State Persons Receiving Fluoridated Waterc Persons Served by CWSc % Population Served by CWS Receiving Fluoridated Water Rankf
US 207,426,536 284,075,868 73.0%
Alabama 3,388,374 4,345,270 78.0% 24
Alaska 272,280 548,898 49.6% 44
Arizona 4,028,381 6,942,498 58.0% 38
Arkansas 2,448,389 2,867,653 85.4% 21
California 22,613,284 38,106,418 59.3% 37
Colorado 4,040,612 5,396,543 74.9% 29
Connecticut 2,431,568 2,715,564 89.5% 15
Delaware 670,879 781,453 85.9% 20
District of Columbia 702,455 702,455 100.0% 1
Florida 14,566,063 18,714,257 77.8% 25
Georgia 8,531,824 8,959,918 95.2% 7
Hawaii 120,106 1,364,632 8.8% 51
Idaho 422,483 1,334,224 31.7% 47
Illinois 11,386,618 11,600,611 98.2% 4
Indiana 4,615,264 4,996,245 92.4% 11
Iowa 2,280,194 2,526,141 90.3% 14
Kansas 1,799,573 2,762,230 65.1% 34
Kentucky 4,016,850 4,023,426 99.8% 2
Louisiana 1,627,351 4,169,527 39.0% 46
Maine 533,959 673,397 79.3% 23
Maryland 4,317,542 4,610,160 93.7% 10
Massachusetts 3,593,419 6,276,435 57.3% 39
Michigan 6,605,118 7,379,404 89.5% 16
Minnesota 4,356,770 4,408,195 98.8% 3
Mississippi 1,549,996 2,552,607 60.7% 36
Missouri 4,007,462 5,299,333 75.6% 27
Montana 229,620 749,018 30.7% 48
Nebraska 1,106,087 1,545,849 71.6% 31
Nevada 2,124,516 2,832,273 75.0% 28
New Hampshire 396,895 849,619 46.7% 45
New Jersey 1,291,123 7,947,833 16.2% 50
New Mexico 1,381,128 1,801,817 76.7% 26
New York 12,200,464 17,074,791 71.5% 32
North Carolina 6,915,858 7,894,251 87.6% 18
North Dakota 688,710 713,531 96.5% 5
Ohio 9,083,082 9,816,237 92.5% 10
Oklahoma 2,417,819 3,583,323 67.5% 33
Oregon 930,527 3,533,823 26.3% 49
Pennsylvania 5,203,809 9,335,064 55.7% 42
Rhode Island 785,748 944,353 83.2% 22
South Carolina 3,543,429 3,855,997 91.9% 12
South Dakota 706,191 753,308 93.7% 8
Tennessee 5,470,615 6,160,242 88.8% 17
Texas 19,861,964 27,327,755 72.7% 31
Utah 1,614,982 3,096,343 52.2% 43
Vermont 214,896 382,403 56.2% 41
Virginia 6,675,987 6,459,585 96.3 6
Washington 4,128,148 6,459,585 63.9% 35
West Virginia 1,290,637 1,422,373 90.7% 13
Wisconsin 3,670,473 4,203,809 87.3% 19
Wyoming 262,712 460,371 57.1% 40

Footnotes

a Census Population Count 2018. Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2018. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Release Date: December 2018. Available at https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-kits/2018/pop-estimates-national-state.htmlexternal icon

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.cfmexternal icon.

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: Dieter, C.A., Maupin, M.A., Caldwell, R.R., Harris, M.A., Ivahnenko, T.I., Lovelace, J.K., Barber, N.L., and Linsey, K.S., 2018, Estimated use of water in the United States in 2015: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1441, 65 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/cir1441external icon. [Supersedes USGS Open-File Report 2017–1131.]

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.


*Original statistics online at https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/statistics/2018stats.htm