Published: 05:43 BST, 8 August 2026 | Updated: 05:49 BST, 8 August 2026
It's a Northeastern state famed for its lobster rolls and peaceful lifestyle. But data shows Maine has quietly become a hotspot for type 1 diabetes.
New state-by-state data reveals the state has the highest incidence rate in the nation at 27.4 per 100,000, significantly above the national average of 24.0.
Nationwide, Vermont, New Hampshire and West Virginia also ranked among the top five, while the lowest rates are found in Hawaii, New Mexico and California.
Most diabetics in the US have type 2 diabetes, which is when the body is no longer able to control blood sugar levels because cells no longer respond to the hormone insulin.
But more people are now being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, where the body no longer makes insulin, often because the immune system has mistakenly destroyed insulin-producing cells.
The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unclear. But researchers warn that genetics, being from a white ethnic background and exposure to viruses and other environmental factors may play a role.
Now, researchers in New York have analyzed state-level population data to establish which areas of the country have the highest rates of the disease.
Nationwide, an estimated 2.07 million Americans are now living with the condition, a number projected to grow by 10 percent by 2033.
More than 60,000 people are diagnosed with the disease every year, with half of all new cases now diagnosed in adults, most commonly in those 45 to 64 years old.
The latest data, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed incidence rates – number of cases newly diagnosed – for type 1 diabetes nationwide in 2024.
Data was converted to cases per 100,000 people to allow for comparisons between states, which have different population sizes.
By state, West Virginia recorded the highest incidence rate at 27.8 per 100,000, followed closely by Maine and Vermont, both at 27.4.
New Hampshire, with 26.9, and Kentucky – 26.8 – rounded out the top five.
Researchers caution, however, that West Virginia's figure is based on a smaller population, and that Maine and West Virginia are statistically tied.