How do nonmedical vaccine exemption rates vary by state?

Nonmedical exemptions were highest in Idaho, where 15.1% of kindergarteners had one. Idaho allows exemptions on both religious and philosophical grounds.

Utah had the second-highest rate of kindergarteners with nonmedical exemptions, 10.0%. It also allows religious and philosophical exemptions.

Three other states had exemption rates above 9.0%: Oregon (9.7%), Alaska (9.0%), and Arizona (also 9.0%).

The state with the lowest rate was Connecticut, where 0.1% of children had nonmedical exemptions. Connecticut repealed nonmedical exemptions in 2021, although those approved before the law repeal came into effect remain valid. It’s the only state with an exemption rate below 1.0%.

Five other states had nonmedical exemption rates below 2.0%: Mississippi (1.1%), Massachusetts (1.3%), Rhode Island (1.7%), Maryland (1.7%), and New Mexico (1.9%). All of these states allow religious exemptions but not philosophical.

Since the 2014–15 school year, nonmedical exemptions increased the most in Idaho (+8.9 percentage points), Utah (+5.9 percentage points), Nevada (+5.6), and South Dakota (+5.2).