The 27 states with the biggest populations at risk of developing a serious coronavirus illness

Although the novel coronavirus can cause illness in people of all different ages and health conditions, some populations are more vulnerable to developing extremely serious symptoms than others, including people over 65 years old and adults with certain pre-existing health conditions.

The non-profit health research Kaiser Family Foundation examined which states have the highest share of adults age 18 and over who are at risk of a serious illness if infected by the coronavirus.

According to a recent CDC study, the most at-risk groups for developing a serious illness include people over 65, as well as adults age 18 to 64 with heart disease, uncontrolled asthma, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung disease, or a BMI over 40.

KFF used 2018 CDC data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to find the share of each state's population most at risk based on those conditions.

According to KFF, 37.6% of US adults 92.6 million Americans have a heightened chance of developing a serious illness from coronavirus. Of those nearly 93 million Americans, 51.1 million are adults age 65 and over.

At the state level, West Virginia had the highest share of adults at risk of a serious illness after being infected with coronavirus, with a share of 49.3% or nearly 690,000 adults, according to the study.

According to KFF's analysis, the high-risk population shares of 27 states are greater than the national share. Many of these states are in the South. For instance, Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi all had shares over 40%.

Read on to see the 27 states that have the largest shares of adults that are most vulnerable to developing a serious coronavirus illness based on KFF's analysis. We also included each state's share of at-risk adults from the over-65 and under-65 year old populations.

27. Kansas: 38.0% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 21.7%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 54.7%

26. Rhode Island: 38.3% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 21.4%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 56.1%

24 (tie). North Carolina: 39.0% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 22.7%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 54.2%

24 (tie). Montana: 39.0% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 19.4%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 62.3%

21 (tie). Vermont: 39.1% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 19.6%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 62.1%

21(tie). Hawaii: 39.1% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 19.4%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 62.5%

21 (tie). Arizona: 39.1% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 20.8%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 59.1%

20. New Mexico: 39.4% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 21.1%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 58.8%

17 (tie). Pennsylvania: 39.8% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 21.8%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 57.8%

17 (tie). Oregon: 39.8% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 22.5%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 56.2%

17 (tie). Ohio: 39.8% of adults adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 22.9%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 54.9%

16. Indiana: 39.9% of adults adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 24.4%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 51.4%

14 (tie). New Hampshire: 40.5% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 23.3%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 55.3%

14 (tie). Missouri: 40.5% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 24.0%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 53.8%

13. Oklahoma: 40.8% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 25.3%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 50.9%

12. Michigan: 41.2% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 24.7%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 53.2%

11. Delaware: 41.3% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 27.7%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 58.3%

10. South Carolina: 41.4% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 24.0%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 55.4%

9. Tennessee: 41.6% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 26.0%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 50.6%

7 (tie). Louisiana: 42.1% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 27.3%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 48.4%

7 (tie). Florida: 42.1% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 22.0%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 61.2%

5 (tie). Mississippi: 42.5% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 27.2%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 49.6%

5 (tie). Maine: 42.5% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 23.1%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 59.4%

4. Alabama: 43.1% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 27.1%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 51.0%

3. Arkansas: 43.5% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 27.7%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 50.3%

2. Kentucky: 43.6% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 28.3%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 48.8%

1. West Virginia: 49.3% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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Share of at-risk adults under age 65: 32.3%

Share of at-risk adults over age 65: 51.1%

The 27 states with the biggest populations at risk of developing a serious coronavirus illness

27. Kansas: 38.0% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

26. Rhode Island: 38.3% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

24 (tie). North Carolina: 39.0% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

24 (tie). Montana: 39.0% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

21 (tie). Vermont: 39.1% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

21(tie). Hawaii: 39.1% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

21 (tie). Arizona: 39.1% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

20. New Mexico: 39.4% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

17 (tie). Pennsylvania: 39.8% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

17 (tie). Oregon: 39.8% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

17 (tie). Ohio: 39.8% of adults adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

16. Indiana: 39.9% of adults adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

14 (tie). New Hampshire: 40.5% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

14 (tie). Missouri: 40.5% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

13. Oklahoma: 40.8% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

12. Michigan: 41.2% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

11. Delaware: 41.3% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

10. South Carolina: 41.4% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

9. Tennessee: 41.6% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

7 (tie). Louisiana: 42.1% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

7 (tie). Florida: 42.1% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

5 (tie). Mississippi: 42.5% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

5 (tie). Maine: 42.5% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

4. Alabama: 43.1% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

3. Arkansas: 43.5% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

2. Kentucky: 43.6% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

1. West Virginia: 49.3% of adults age 18 and older are at a higher risk of developing a serious illness from the coronavirus.

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