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2008

These statistics were prepared using water system data reported by states to the CDC Water Fluoridation Reporting System as of December 31, 2008, and the U.S. Census Bureau estimates from 2008.
 

National Water Fluoridation Statistics

Total U.S. population, personsa

304,059,724

U.S. population on public water systems, personsb

269,911,707

Total U.S. population on fluoridated drinking water systems, personsb

195,545,109

Percentage of U.S. population receiving fluoridated waterc

64.3%

Percentage of U.S. population on public water systems receiving
fluoridated waterd

72.4%

Total number of community water systems (CWS) in United Statesb

55,396

Number of CWS providing fluoridated waterb

16,977

Number of CWS adjusting fluorideb

6,143

Number of CWS consecutive to systems with optimal fluoride levelsb

6,176

Number of CWS with naturally occurring fluoride at or above optimal levelsb

4,658

Population served by CWS with naturally occurring fluorideb

8,805,304

State Fluoridation Percentage Calculations and States Ranked by Fluoridation Percentage

State Persons receiving fluoridated water Persons served by CWS % Rank
United States 195,545,109 269,911,707 72.4%
Alabamae 3,834,244 4,661,900 82.2% 20
Alaska 404,213 643,171 62.8% 33
Arizona 2,891,937 5,540,666 52.3% 41
Arkansas 1,548,556 2,560,592 60.5% 35
Californiae,f 21,545,671 36,756,666 58.8% 36
Coloradoe 3,456,845 4,894,967 70.6% 30
Connecticut 2,381,617 2,650,064 89.9% 14
Delawaree 629,375 819,176 76.8% 26
District of Columbia 595,000 595,000 100%
Florida 13,358,020 17,054,168 78.3% 23
Georgiae 9,275,167 9,685,744 95.8% 5
Hawaiie,f 139,344 1,288,198 10.8% 50
Idaho 316,176 1,011,975 31.2% 45
Illinois 10,962,689 11,488,921 95.4% 6
Indianae 4,329,107 4,679,082 94.5% 8
Iowa 2,329,107 2,559,374 91.8% 10
Kansas 1,152,217 2,575,758 44.7% 42
Kentuckye 3,913,321 3,937,857 99.4% 2
Louisianae 1,251,996 4,410,796 28.3% 47
Maine 504,915 633,761 79.7% 22
Maryland 4,839,490 4,847,653 99.8% 1
Massachusettse 4,248,364 6,497,967 65.4% 32
Michigan 6,634,800 7,387,236 89.8% 15
Minnesota 4,097,816 4,149,298 98.8% 3
Mississippie 1,603,339 2,938,618 54.6% 38
Missourie 3,965,831 4,971,878 79.8% 21
Montana 239,365 796,592 30.0% 46
Nebraskae 992,733 1,420,624 69.9% 31
Nevadae 1,757,184 2,421,488 72.0% 29
New Hampshire 354,637 832,656 42.6% 43
New Jersey 1,120,552 8,221,172 13.6% 49
New Mexico 1,210,777 1,571,600 77.0% 25
New York 12,635,191 17,501,433 72.2% 28
North Carolina 5,562,402 6,498,294 85.6% 17
North Dakota 557,291 577,894 96.4% 4
Ohioe 8,579,976 10,197,583 84.1% 19
Oklahomae 2,741,327 3,642,361 75.3% 27
Oregon 838,902 3,068,579 27.4% 48
Pennsylvania 5,805,181 10,699,115 54.3% Tied for 39
Rhode Islande 826,863 977,261 84.6% 18
South Carolina 3,401,207 3,722,944 94.4% 9
South Dakotae 640,871 686,502 93.3% 11
Tennessee 5,268,629 5,762,029 91.4% 12
Texas 16,979,812 21,891,651 78.6% 24
Utah 1,217,240 2,243,157 54.3% Tied for 39
Vermonte 308,051 527,051 58.5% 37
Virginia 5,972,601 6,295,305 94.9% 7
Washington 3,461,572 5,545,595 62.4% 34
West Virginiae 1,209,238 1,334,504 90.6% 13
Wisconsine 3,471,706 3,868,775 89.7% 16
Wyominge 165,296 449,223 36.8% 44

Footnotes

a. Annual Population Estimates and Estimated Components of Population Change for the United States and States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008. Source: Population Estimates Program, U.S. Census Bureau. Internet release date: December 22, 2008. Population, population change, and estimated components of population change: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 available at http://www.census.gov/popest/datasets.html.

b. Reported in CDC Water Fluoridation Reporting System (WFRS).

c. Fluoridated population divided by total population.

d. Fluoridated population divided by population served by community water systems.

e. Population served by CWS exceeded the U.S. Census state population estimate; number of persons was reduced by the ratio of the population estimate to the CWS population estimate. Use care in comparing the 2008 estimates for the number of persons receiving fluoridated water and persons served by CWS for these states to estimates from 2002, 2004, and 2006 because a different vintage of U.S. Census population estimates was used. The 2008 vintage was used for the 2008 fluoridation statistics, and the 2006 vintage was used for the 2002, 2004, and 2006 statistics.

f . Complete data were not available from WFRS; state provided additional information.

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

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