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