Here Are the Healthiest, Least Healthy Cities in America

Is there something in the water out West?
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 8, 2021 8:24 AM CST
Here Are the Healthiest, Least Healthy Cities in America
Wellness is thriving in San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland, Ore.   (Getty Images/monkeybusinessimages)

Staying healthy is a priority for many people, and where you live makes a difference. WalletHub has done the work to help you figure out which places might help you reach your wellness goals. The site looked at 180-plus of the most populated cities across the nation, using nearly four dozen metrics in four categories: health care (everything from doctors and mental health counselors per capita to the cost of a medical or dental visit); food, which includes such factors as the share of obese residents, the share of people who aren't getting their fruits and veggies, and Google searches for "healthy eating;" fitness (ie, how much it costs to have a gym membership, as well as fitness instructors and weight loss centers per capita); and green space, which looks at access to recreational activities and how many hiking and running trails a city has, among other things. The top five cities are all out West, while the South dominates the bottom of the list:

Healthiest Cities

  1. San Francisco (No. 1 in "Food" and "Green Space" categories)
  2. Seattle
  3. Portland, Ore.
  4. San Diego
  5. Honolulu
  6. Washington, DC
  7. Austin, Texas
  8. Irvine, Calif.
  9. Portland, Maine
  10. Denver
Least Healthy Cities
  1. Lubbock, Texas
  2. Huntington, W. Va.
  3. Jackson, Miss.
  4. Fort Smith, Ark.
  5. Montgomery, Ala.
  6. Memphis, Tenn.
  7. Shreveport, La.
  8. Gulfport, Miss.
  9. Laredo, Texas
  10. Brownsville, Texas

See where other cities fall on the list. (Here, the US cities where you'll find the most active lifestyle.)

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