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This Unhealthy American City Has a 42.9% Obesity Rate

This Unhealthy American City Has a 42.9% Obesity Rate

Although personal choices matter, where you live can have an impact on your health. Some cities are known for being walkable, having safe bike lanes, access to good quality healthcare, and other factors that can improve well-being. However, other cities have higher pollution rates, less access to healthcare, and a limited amount of green spaces in which to exercise outdoors. Read on to see if your town made our list of unhealthy American cities. (Also see the most obese states in the US.)

24/7 Tempo calculated an index using eight health measures such as potential life lost, smoking rate, and percentage reporting fair or poor health, using data from the 2023 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute to measure and rank the health of the population in cities in every state.

To determine the least healthy one in every state 384 metro areas were considered. Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Delaware each have only one metro area, and it is therefore listed here by default – though by default, it is also the state’s healthiest metro area. (Note that the cities listed for some states are core cities for metro areas that extend across state borders; these are identified as such.)

Here is the city that is the unhealthiest in each state:

Alabama: Mobile

Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 19.9% (state: 18.9%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 20.5% (state: 19.5%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 39.5% (state: 39.3%)
  • Median household income: $49,691 (state: $53,913)

Alaska: Anchorage

John Pennell / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 11.5% (state: 12.2%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 16.4% (state: 18.0%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 30.0% (state: 31.8%)
  • Median household income: $84,476 (state: $77,845)

Arizona: Lake Havasu City-Kingman

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 16.7% (state: 14.5%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 21.0% (state: 13.7%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 35.7% (state: 31.5%)
  • Median household income: $46,616 (state: $69,056)

Arkansas: Pine Bluff

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 22.8% (state: 19.4%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 23.1% (state: 21.6%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 42.9% (state: 37.2%)
  • Median household income: $46,826 (state: $52,528)

California: Bakersfield

MattGush / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 21.2% (state: 14.4%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 15.1% (state: 9.0%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 35.0% (state: 30.2%)
  • Median household income: $58,217 (state: $84,907)

Colorado: Pueblo

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 15.5% (state: 10.2%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 17.6% (state: 12.6%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 29.6% (state: 24.2%)
  • Median household income: $56,689 (state: $82,254)

Connecticut: New Haven-Milford

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 11.6% (state: 11.0%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 15.4% (state: 12.6%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 33.3% (state: 29.5%)
  • Median household income: $75,295 (state: $83,771)

Delaware: Dover

traveler1116 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 14.6% (state: 12.8%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 20.0% (state: 15.8%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 39.1% (state: 36.2%)
  • Median household income: $64,308 (state: $71,091)

Florida: Ocala

Michael Warren / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 17.8% (state: 13.3%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 20.8% (state: 15.5%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 38.2% (state: 28.3%)
  • Median household income: $55,161 (state: $63,062)

Georgia: Albany

Roberto Galan / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 20.0% (state: 15.1%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 21.1% (state: 16.3%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 41.4% (state: 34.3%)
  • Median household income: $48,659 (state: $66,559)

Hawaii: Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina

Art Wager / E+ via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 11.0% (state: 10.3%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 14.0% (state: 12.2%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 23.9% (state: 25.0%)
  • Median household income: $76,273 (state: $84,857)

Idaho: Pocatello

BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 13.6% (state: 11.8%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 18.2% (state: 14.2%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 36.3% (state: 31.3%)
  • Median household income: $60,475 (state: $66,474)

Illinois: Danville

20200608 43 Theater, Danville,... by David Wilson
davidwilson1949 / Flickr
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 16.7% (state: 12.3%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 22.1% (state: 12.8%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 38.2% (state: 32.5%)
  • Median household income: $49,091 (state: $72,205)

Indiana: Muncie

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 17.3% (state: 15.1%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 22.5% (state: 20.2%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 40.1% (state: 37.2%)
  • Median household income: $50,497 (state: $62,743)

Iowa: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, Iowa/Illinois

Ctjf83 / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 12.9% (state: 12.0%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 16.8% (state: 16.8%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 36.3% (state: 37.2%)
  • Median household income: $61,166 (state: $65,600)

Kansas: Topeka

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 13.1% (state: 12.8%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 17.7% (state: 17.2%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 37.5% (state: 35.8%)
  • Median household income: $57,474 (state: $64,124)

Kentucky: Bowling Green

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 18.9% (state: 19.5%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 22.1% (state: 22.2%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 37.6% (state: 37.0%)
  • Median household income: $57,057 (state: $55,573)

Louisiana: Monroe

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 20.8% (state: 19.0%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 21.2% (state: 18.9%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 42.5% (state: 38.3%)
  • Median household income: $45,001 (state: $52,087)

Maine: Bangor

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 12.6% (state: 11.1%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 20.2% (state: 18.0%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 34.3% (state: 31.3%)
  • Median household income: $56,250 (state: $64,767)

Maryland: Hagerstown-Martinsburg, Maryland/West Virginia

Hagerstown, Maryland by Eli Pousson
elipousson / Flickr
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 15.1% (state: 10.6%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 20.4% (state: 11.1%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 37.7% (state: 30.9%)
  • Median household income: $67,372 (state: $90,203)

Massachusetts: Springfield

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 12.9% (state: 10.8%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 15.4% (state: 11.4%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 29.2% (state: 24.5%)
  • Median household income: $65,520 (state: $89,645)

Michigan: Flint

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 16.8% (state: 14.7%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 22.2% (state: 19.3%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 42.1% (state: 35.3%)
  • Median household income: $52,025 (state: $63,498)

Minnesota: Duluth, Minnesota/Wisconsin

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 11.7% (state: 10.0%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 20.5% (state: 14.3%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 33.0% (state: 30.6%)
  • Median household income: $64,960 (state: $77,720)

Mississippi: Hattiesburg

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 18.6% (state: 18.7%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 19.4% (state: 20.7%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 39.1% (state: 39.9%)
  • Median household income: $55,444 (state: $48,716)

Missouri: St. Joseph, Missouri/Kansas

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 16.2% (state: 15.2%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 22.2% (state: 18.6%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 37.3% (state: 34.2%)
  • Median household income: $54,702 (state: $61,847)

Montana: Great Falls

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 12.9% (state: 12.1%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 18.6% (state: 17.5%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 35.0% (state: 28.9%)
  • Median household income: $57,706 (state: $63,249)

Nebraska: Grand Island

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 12.8% (state: 10.2%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 17.3% (state: 14.5%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 39.1% (state: 34.0%)
  • Median household income: $61,749 (state: $66,817)

Nevada: Carson City

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 16.3% (state: 16.7%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 18.4% (state: 14.1%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 34.4% (state: 28.1%)
  • Median household income: $65,330 (state: $66,274)

New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 10.9% (state: 10.8%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 14.1% (state: 14.7%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 29.2% (state: 30.5%)
  • Median household income: $91,627 (state: $88,465)

New Jersey: Vineland-Bridgeton

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 17.8% (state: 10.8%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 19.1% (state: 11.1%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 35.7% (state: 27.7%)
  • Median household income: $58,389 (state: $89,296)

New Mexico: Farmington

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 17.7% (state: 13.8%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 22.6% (state: 16.9%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 35.0% (state: 31.7%)
  • Median household income: $47,819 (state: $53,992)

New York: Elmira

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 12.5% (state: 11.8%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 19.1% (state: 12.3%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 33.0% (state: 26.5%)
  • Median household income: $60,219 (state: $74,314)

North Carolina: Rocky Mount

City of Rocky Mount, NC by Michael A. Richardson
michael_richardson / Flickr
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 17.5% (state: 13.5%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 20.9% (state: 17.0%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 39.0% (state: 33.6%)
  • Median household income: $51,769 (state: $61,972)

North Dakota: Grand Forks, North Dakota/Minnesota

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 11.6% (state: 11.6%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 17.8% (state: 17.9%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 35.9% (state: 33.6%)
  • Median household income: $62,568 (state: $66,519)

Ohio: Springfield

Springfield Water Tower by Cindy Funk
cindyfunk / Flickr
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 16.3% (state: 14.5%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 23.9% (state: 20.2%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 36.7% (state: 35.8%)
  • Median household income: $59,431 (state: $62,262)

Oklahoma: Lawton

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 18.0% (state: 17.3%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 20.7% (state: 19.6%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 39.4% (state: 37.1%)
  • Median household income: $49,422 (state: $55,826)

Oregon: Grants Pass

Completed 6thMorgan intersecti... by Oregon Department of Transportation
oregondot / Flickr
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 15.8% (state: 12.7%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 19.1% (state: 13.6%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 30.4% (state: 28.3%)
  • Median household income: $48,785 (state: $71,562)

Pennsylvania: Johnstown

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 14.4% (state: 13.1%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 20.8% (state: 16.7%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 33.2% (state: 31.6%)
  • Median household income: $52,995 (state: $68,957)

Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick, Rhode Island/Massachusetts

Providence Rhode Island skyline 2017 by Kenneth C. Zirkel
Kenneth C. Zirkel / Wikimedia Commons
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 12.5% (state: 11.8%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 15.7% (state: 14.1%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 29.6% (state: 30.6%)
  • Median household income: $73,788 (state: $74,008)

South Carolina: Florence

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 18.4% (state: 15.9%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 20.8% (state: 19.1%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 41.7% (state: 36.7%)
  • Median household income: $49,724 (state: $59,318)

South Dakota: Rapid City

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 10.8% (state: 10.4%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 18.0% (state: 19.0%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 32.8% (state: 33.4%)
  • Median household income: $63,342 (state: $66,143)

Tennessee: Memphis, Tennessee/Mississippi/Arkansas

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 17.9% (state: 15.7%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 19.1% (state: 19.7%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 38.8% (state: 35.8%)
  • Median household income: $55,840 (state: $59,695)

Texas: Texarkana, Texas/Arkansas

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 19.1% (state: 15.7%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 21.1% (state: 13.3%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 38.6% (state: 35.8%)
  • Median household income: $50,070 (state: $66,963)

Utah: St. George

Rosie Osuna / iStock via Getty Images
  • Adults in fair or poor health: 12.0% (state: 10.9%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 9.3% (state: 8.3%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 30.8% (state: 29.3%)
  • Median household income: $61,186 (state: $79,449)

Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 9.1% (state: 10.6%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 13.0% (state: 14.4%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 24.5% (state: 26.3%)
  • Median household income: $81,852 (state: $72,431)

Virginia: Roanoke

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 14.6% (state: 12.4%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 18.6% (state: 13.9%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 35.0% (state: 32.4%)
  • Median household income: $59,630 (state: $80,963)

Washington: Yakima

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 19.2% (state: 11.8%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 17.5% (state: 11.6%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 37.1% (state: 28.0%)
  • Median household income: $61,012 (state: $84,247)

West Virginia: Beckley, WV

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 21.7% (state: 20.0%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 25.8% (state: 24.0%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 41.8% (state: 39.6%)
  • Median household income: $38,737 (state: $51,248)

Wisconsin: Janesville-Beloit

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 12.1% (state: 12.4%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 18.4% (state: 16.1%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 35.1% (state: 32.7%)
  • Median household income: $66,090 (state: $67,125)

Wyoming: Casper

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  • Adults in fair or poor health: 12.2% (state: 11.5%)
  • Adult smoking rate: 20.3% (state: 19.4%)
  • Adult obesity rate: 34.0% (state: 30.6%)
  • Median household income: $63,605 (state: $65,204)
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