The Most Sedentary City in Every State

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says exercise can improve brain health and sleep quality, help with weight management, strengthen muscles and bones, reduce the risk of diseases of many types (including at least eight kinds of cancer), and help to stave off depression and anxiety.

How much exercise is enough? In the latest edition of its “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults log at least two-and-a-half hours of aerobic exercise at moderate intensity or an hour and 15 minutes at vigorous intensity every week as well as muscle-strengthening activities of at least moderate intensity, involving all major muscle groups, at least twice a week for unspecified periods.

Unfortunately, according to the agency, almost 80% of American adults fail to meet the combined aerobic and muscle-building recommendations, while only about half get the minimum amount of aerobic exercise. In a report released in January 2023, the CDC noted that the percentage of people exercising varied according to location, with city-dwellers doing better in that regard than rural residents, and with the Southern states, in general, showing the lowest prevalence of meeting the benchmarks. Forget the recommended minimums, however. A surprising percentage of Americans report that they get no exercise at all. (See a ranking of all 50 states based on exercise.)

To identify the least physically active city or metropolitan area in each state, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data from the 2023 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program. Cities and metros are ranked by the share of adults 20 or older who never exercise in their leisure time. Additional information on the share of adults who report a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher — the standard for adult obesity according to the CDC and the National Institutes of Health — and the share of adults reporting poor or fair health, also came from the 2023 CHR. Not surprisingly, low rates of exercise generally correlate with high rates of obesity and poor health.

In 30 of the 50 cities or metro areas listed here, at least a quarter of adults report never exercising in their leisure time, and in a dozen of those, the rate exceeds 30%. The laziest city of all, by this metric, is the border town of Laredo, Texas, where 38% of adults don’t exercise. That’s followed by Hammond, Louisiana (33.4%) and Dalton, Georgia (32%). The most active place here? The Burlington-South Burlington metro area in Vermont, where only 15.2% of residents fail to engage in physical activity.

Alabama: Dothan

• Adults who don’t exercise: 31.7% (Alabama: 27.8%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 20.2% (Alabama: 18.9%)
• Adult obesity rate: 39.3% (Alabama: 39.3%)

Alaska: Fairbanks

• Adults who don’t exercise: 21.0% (Alaska: 21.1%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 11.9% (Alaska: 12.2%)
• Adult obesity rate: 31.2% (Alaska: 31.8%)

Arizona: Yuma

• Adults who don’t exercise: 29.4% (Arizona: 21.6%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 21.1% (Arizona: 14.5%)
• Adult obesity rate: 40.5% (Arizona: 31.5%)

Arkansas: Pine Bluff

• Adults who don’t exercise: 33.7% (Arkansas: 28.8%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 22.8% (Arkansas: 19.4%)
• Adult obesity rate: 42.9% (Arkansas: 37.2%)

California: El Centro

• Adults who don’t exercise: 31.7% (California: 21.1%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 24.0% (California: 14.4%)
• Adult obesity rate: 36.2% (California: 30.2%)

Colorado: Pueblo

• Adults who don’t exercise: 24.4% (Colorado: 16.5%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 15.5% (Colorado: 10.2%)
• Adult obesity rate: 29.6% (Colorado: 24.2%)

Connecticut: New Haven-Milford

• Adults who don’t exercise: 21.8% (Connecticut: 20.2%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 11.6% (Connecticut: 11.0%)
• Adult obesity rate: 33.3% (Connecticut: 29.5%)

Delaware: Dover

• Adults who don’t exercise: 27.6% (Delaware: 23.6%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 14.6% (Delaware: 12.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 39.1% (Delaware: 36.2%)

Florida: Sebring-Avon Park

• Adults who don’t exercise: 29.6% (Florida: 25.8%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 19.2% (Florida: 13.3%)
• Adult obesity rate: 39.1% (Florida: 28.3%)

Georgia: Dalton

• Adults who don’t exercise: 32.0% (Georgia: 24.5%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 19.9% (Georgia: 15.1%)
• Adult obesity rate: 39.0% (Georgia: 34.3%)

Hawaii: Urban Honolulu

• Adults who don’t exercise: 19.8% (Hawaii: 18.4%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 11.4% (Hawaii: 10.3%)
• Adult obesity rate: 24.3% (Hawaii: 25.0%)

Idaho: Twin Falls

• Adults who don’t exercise: 23.2% (Idaho: 19.7%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 14.7% (Idaho: 11.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 34.0% (Idaho: 31.3%)

Illinois: Danville

• Adults who don’t exercise: 28.1% (Illinois: 24.4%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 16.7% (Illinois: 12.3%)
• Adult obesity rate: 38.2% (Illinois: 32.5%)

Indiana: Muncie

• Adults who don’t exercise: 29.2% (Indiana: 25.6%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 17.3% (Indiana: 15.1%)
• Adult obesity rate: 40.1% (Indiana: 37.2%)

Iowa-Nebraska-South Dakota: Sioux City

• Adults who don’t exercise: 26.7% (Iowa-Nebraska-South Dakota: 22.7%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 13.2% (Iowa-Nebraska-South Dakota: 12.0%)
• Adult obesity rate: 38.3% (Iowa-Nebraska-South Dakota: 37.2%)

Kansas: Topeka

• Adults who don’t exercise: 22.3% (Kansas: 21.4%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 13.1% (Kansas: 12.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 37.5% (Kansas: 35.8%)

Kentucky: Bowling Green

• Adults who don’t exercise: 30.6% (Kentucky: 29.3%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 18.9% (Kentucky: 19.5%)
• Adult obesity rate: 37.6% (Kentucky: 37.0%)

Louisiana: Hammond

• Adults who don’t exercise: 33.4% (Louisiana: 28.2%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 19.5% (Louisiana: 19.0%)
• Adult obesity rate: 40.8% (Louisiana: 38.3%)

Maine: Lewiston-Auburn

• Adults who don’t exercise: 24.3% (Maine: 19.7%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 13.2% (Maine: 11.1%)
• Adult obesity rate: 35.0% (Maine: 31.3%)

Maryland-West Virginia: Hagerstown-Martinsburg

• Adults who don’t exercise: 27.0% (Maryland-West Virginia: 20.6%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 15.1% (Maryland-West Virginia: 10.6%)
• Adult obesity rate: 37.7% (Maryland-West Virginia: 30.9%)

Massachusetts-Connecticut: Worcester

• Adults who don’t exercise: 21.8% (Massachusetts-Connecticut: 19.4%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 11.0% (Massachusetts-Connecticut: 10.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 30.3% (Massachusetts-Connecticut: 24.5%)

Michigan: Flint

• Adults who don’t exercise: 24.7% (Michigan: 20.2%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 16.8% (Michigan: 14.7%)
• Adult obesity rate: 42.1% (Michigan: 35.3%)

Minnesota: St. Cloud

• Adults who don’t exercise: 21.5% (Minnesota: 18.7%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 11.6% (Minnesota: 10.0%)
• Adult obesity rate: 34.8% (Minnesota: 30.6%)

Mississippi: Hattiesburg

• Adults who don’t exercise: 28.4% (Mississippi: 28.9%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 18.6% (Mississippi: 18.7%)
• Adult obesity rate: 39.1% (Mississippi: 39.9%)

Missouri: Joplin

• Adults who don’t exercise: 27.1% (Missouri: 24.9%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 17.0% (Missouri: 15.2%)
• Adult obesity rate: 36.5% (Missouri: 34.2%)

Montana: Great Falls

• Adults who don’t exercise: 21.3% (Montana: 18.0%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 12.9% (Montana: 12.1%)
• Adult obesity rate: 35.0% (Montana: 28.9%)

Nebraska: Grand Island

• Adults who don’t exercise: 25.7% (Nebraska: 21.0%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 12.8% (Nebraska: 10.2%)
• Adult obesity rate: 39.0% (Nebraska: 34.0%)

Nevada: Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise

• Adults who don’t exercise: 26.2% (Nevada: 24.9%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 17.5% (Nevada: 16.7%)
• Adult obesity rate: 31.1% (Nevada: 28.1%)

New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua

• Adults who don’t exercise: 19.9% (New Hampshire: 18.6%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 10.9% (New Hampshire: 10.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 29.2% (New Hampshire: 30.5%)

New Jersey: Vineland-Bridgeton

• Adults who don’t exercise: 30.8% (New Jersey: 20.2%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 17.8% (New Jersey: 10.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 35.7% (New Jersey: 27.7%)

New Mexico: Las Cruces

• Adults who don’t exercise: 25.0% (New Mexico: 22.5%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 16.8% (New Mexico: 13.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 30.9% (New Mexico: 31.7%)

New York: Elmira

• Adults who don’t exercise: 25.2% (New York: 25.2%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 12.5% (New York: 11.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 33.0% (New York: 26.5%)

North Carolina: Rocky Mount

• Adults who don’t exercise: 26.7% (North Carolina: 21.9%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 17.5% (North Carolina: 13.5%)
• Adult obesity rate: 39.0% (North Carolina: 33.6%)

North Dakota-Minnesota: Grand Forks

• Adults who don’t exercise: 23.4% (North Dakota-Minnesota: 24.6%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 11.6% (North Dakota-Minnesota: 11.6%)
• Adult obesity rate: 35.9% (North Dakota-Minnesota: 33.6%)

Ohio: Springfield

• Adults who don’t exercise: 29.0% (Ohio: 23.5%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 16.3% (Ohio: 14.5%)
• Adult obesity rate: 36.7% (Ohio: 35.8%)

Oklahoma: Lawton

• Adults who don’t exercise: 31.2% (Oklahoma: 27.9%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 18.0% (Oklahoma: 17.3%)
• Adult obesity rate: 39.4% (Oklahoma: 37.1%)

Oregon: Grants Pass

• Adults who don’t exercise: 21.2% (Oregon: 17.6%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 15.8% (Oregon: 12.7%)
• Adult obesity rate: 30.4% (Oregon: 28.3%)

Pennsylvania: Lebanon

• Adults who don’t exercise: 25.3% (Pennsylvania: 23.4%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 14.2% (Pennsylvania: 13.1%)
• Adult obesity rate: 36.3% (Pennsylvania: 31.6%)

Rhode Island-Massachusetts: Providence-Warwick

• Adults who don’t exercise: 22.6% (Rhode Island-Massachusetts: 22.9%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 12.5% (Rhode Island-Massachusetts: 11.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 29.6% (Rhode Island-Massachusetts: 30.6%)

South Carolina: Florence

• Adults who don’t exercise: 30.8% (South Carolina: 25.6%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 18.4% (South Carolina: 15.9%)
• Adult obesity rate: 41.7% (South Carolina: 36.7%)

South Dakota: Rapid City

• Adults who don’t exercise: 21.3% (South Dakota: 21.6%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 10.8% (South Dakota: 10.4%)
• Adult obesity rate: 32.8% (South Dakota: 33.4%)

Tennessee: Cleveland

• Adults who don’t exercise: 27.5% (Tennessee: 23.6%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 16.2% (Tennessee: 15.7%)
• Adult obesity rate: 38.7% (Tennessee: 35.8%)

Texas: Laredo

• Adults who don’t exercise: 38.0% (Texas: 25.4%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 27.4% (Texas: 15.7%)
• Adult obesity rate: 44.6% (Texas: 35.8%)

Utah: Ogden-Clearfield

• Adults who don’t exercise: 17.9% (Utah: 16.3%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 11.4% (Utah: 10.9%)
• Adult obesity rate: 32.7% (Utah: 29.3%)

Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington

• Adults who don’t exercise: 15.2% (Vermont: 17.1%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 9.1% (Vermont: 10.6%)
• Adult obesity rate: 24.4% (Vermont: 26.3%)

Virginia: Harrisonburg

• Adults who don’t exercise: 24.5% (Virginia: 20.4%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 15.9% (Virginia: 12.4%)
• Adult obesity rate: 34.1% (Virginia: 32.4%)

Washington: Yakima

• Adults who don’t exercise: 25.3% (Washington: 17.5%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 19.2% (Washington: 11.8%)
• Adult obesity rate: 37.1% (Washington: 28.0%)

West Virginia: Charleston

• Adults who don’t exercise: 30.5% (West Virginia: 27.4%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 19.7% (West Virginia: 20.0%)
• Adult obesity rate: 39.0% (West Virginia: 39.6%)

Wisconsin: Janesville-Beloit

• Adults who don’t exercise: 21.6% (Wisconsin: 19.8%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 12.1% (Wisconsin: 12.4%)
• Adult obesity rate: 35.1% (Wisconsin: 32.7%)

Wyoming: Casper

• Adults who don’t exercise: 25.0% (Wyoming: 21.6%)
• Adults who are in poor or fair health: 12.2% (Wyoming: 11.5%)
• Adult obesity rate: 34.0% (Wyoming: 30.6%)