Idaho Ranks Eighth Highest for Average Medical Debt

An analysis of data from the Consumer Protection Bureau showed Idaho ranks eighth in average medical debt at $2,832. Massachusetts ranked lowest at $975, and Wyoming the highest at $6,516.

The state was 31st in the percentage of people with medical debt at 12.7%. It was the 16th lowest in total debt, at $575 million.

Across the border in Washington, roughly 5% of residents have medical debt, and the state ranks 33rd for average debt at $1,742.

The analysis, published by the pharmaceutical provider NiceRX, also used data from the Census Bureau to compare medical debt across age, income and ethnicity. 

It found that seniors 75 and older had the highest average medical debt with an average of $17,510 per person. However, people aged 45 to 54 had the most cases of medical debit, at over 20%.

About 20% of people classified as middle income had medical debt, making that income bracket the largest followed by the second lowest and lowest income levels at 19.2% and 17.7%. Only 10.8% of people in the highest income bracket had medical debt.

Generation Z had more medical debt than any other, at $19,890. 

The data also showed 26% of Black American have some form of medical debt, while Asian Americans had the lowest at 8.9%. Non-hispanic white Americans had the highest average medical debt at $14,540.

This report is made possible by the Lewis-Clark Valley Healthcare Foundation in partnership with Northwest Public Broadcasting, the Lewiston Tribune and the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.