Best & Worst Cities for Keeping Your New Year's Resolutions

Adam McCann, Financial WriterJan 4, 2021

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
Jan 4, 2021

It’s easy to make New Year’s resolutions. The hard part is keeping them. But before you blame yourself entirely for your previous lack of success, consider this: Your location may be setting you up for failure.

If you live in a neighborhood with no sidewalks or fitness centers nearby, for example, you may not feel as encouraged to exercise. The same goes if most of your restaurant options are limited to fast food - you may be less likely to eat healthy. These might sound like excuses to the boldest resolvers, but they genuinely can get in the way of self-improvement. That’s especially true if your motivation is low to begin with. Plus, with the COVID-19 pandemic throwing life out of sync and closing down or limiting the capacity of many public spaces, meeting New Year’s resolutions will likely be even harder than usual. To stick with the example of getting fit, the pandemic might cut off access to local gyms and lead to too much financial hardship for a person to buy home fitness equipment.

More than 7 in 10 people admit they have failed to uphold their New Year’s resolutions in the past, according to a recent WalletHub survey, but there’s no reason not to try again. As we set our goals for 2021, some of the biggest financial resolutions you might want to consider include paying off some of your credit card debt, adding to your emergency fund and paying bills immediately after getting a paycheck.

To determine where Americans are most likely to stick to their goals for 2021, WalletHub considered some of the most popular (and most commonly broken) resolutions to rank more than 180 U.S. cities based on their conduciveness to self-improvement. In each city, we looked at a total of 57 key metrics, ranging from exercise opportunities to income growth to employment outlook.

Table of Contents

Main Findings Ask The Experts Methodology

Main Findings

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Best Cities for Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	‘Health Resolutions’	‘Financial Resolutions’	‘School & Work Resolutions’	‘Bad-Habit Resolutions’	‘Relationship Resolutions’
1	Scottsdale, AZ	68.04	5	7	1	25	19
2	Salt Lake City, UT	66.32	21	29	15	14	4
3	Seattle, WA	65.73	26	4	65	15	6
4	Irvine, CA	65.50	1	39	17	3	62
5	San Diego, CA	65.42	3	99	38	27	3
6	Overland Park, KS	63.86	51	1	4	5	94
7	San Francisco, CA	63.70	7	28	116	67	2
8	Fremont, CA	63.59	4	2	90	4	87
9	Raleigh, NC	63.51	24	19	54	10	28
10	San Jose, CA	63.43	9	11	98	2	45
10	Plano, TX	63.43	20	5	16	6	75
12	Atlanta, GA	62.61	47	48	50	22	10
13	Huntington Beach, CA	62.31	2	90	51	13	67
14	Austin, TX	62.05	57	35	28	33	16
15	Columbia, MD	62.04	29	3	96	1	127
16	Virginia Beach, VA	61.91	38	52	10	45	31
17	Chandler, AZ	61.90	13	18	18	34	65
18	Charleston, SC	61.72	84	71	8	47	5
19	Tempe, AZ	61.26	16	97	34	54	29
20	Madison, WI	61.25	53	9	70	24	36
21	Boise, ID	61.17	36	50	21	55	38
22	Portland, ME	60.64	30	20	104	77	23
23	Orlando, FL	60.63	44	104	33	52	17
24	Minneapolis, MN	60.57	65	8	114	37	13
25	Gilbert, AZ	59.97	25	14	6	35	107
26	Tampa, FL	59.96	43	86	36	90	21
27	Portland, OR	59.85	14	26	140	132	7
28	Charlotte, NC	59.72	71	34	60	38	30
29	Colorado Springs, CO	59.54	40	68	22	93	42
30	Lincoln, NE	59.35	86	17	20	78	39
31	Omaha, NE	59.07	77	6	29	106	51
32	Denver, CO	58.98	23	46	111	161	8
33	Honolulu, HI	58.96	15	160	169	40	1
34	Fargo, ND	58.79	88	54	32	17	54
35	Durham, NC	58.60	52	60	39	16	80
36	Sioux Falls, SD	58.44	97	51	23	7	84
37	St. Petersburg, FL	58.37	37	58	31	136	47
38	South Burlington, VT	58.34	27	49	2	20	171
39	Fort Lauderdale, FL	57.92	10	150	121	66	25
40	Washington, DC	57.91	50	47	150	95	11
41	Peoria, AZ	57.57	55	37	7	57	115
42	Jacksonville, FL	57.44	90	81	19	155	18
43	Grand Rapids, MI	57.17	89	36	82	23	55
44	Phoenix, AZ	56.99	78	76	57	69	49
45	Pittsburgh, PA	56.81	73	21	113	160	14
46	Las Vegas, NV	56.79	22	113	127	165	9
47	Sacramento, CA	56.78	62	80	109	80	32
48	Nashua, NH	56.42	64	10	75	100	97
49	Bismarck, ND	56.24	123	16	41	12	124
50	Houston, TX	56.22	112	69	79	49	34
51	Chesapeake, VA	56.09	92	77	24	63	70
52	Los Angeles, CA	56.04	33	165	149	41	26
53	Glendale, AZ	55.98	58	106	55	83	63
54	Pembroke Pines, FL	55.98	32	124	44	32	110
55	Mesa, AZ	55.79	48	61	27	73	108
56	West Valley City, UT	55.78	96	33	11	31	144
57	Cape Coral, FL	55.66	67	67	3	112	117
58	Oceanside, CA	55.62	6	145	107	44	113
59	Boston, MA	55.60	35	110	170	125	12
60	Henderson, NV	55.60	11	57	80	152	85
61	Fort Worth, TX	55.48	109	63	47	61	59
62	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	55.46	76	101	14	51	109
63	Pearl City, HI	55.44	31	83	25	48	161
64	Cedar Rapids, IA	55.26	119	13	83	11	112
65	Lexington-Fayette, KY	55.22	102	42	67	101	58
66	Chicago, IL	55.06	98	23	167	111	15
67	Tucson, AZ	54.92	63	130	85	122	40
68	Miami, FL	54.90	34	181	95	50	24
69	Burlington, VT	54.88	42	125	117	39	89
70	Albuquerque, NM	54.76	61	72	155	82	50
71	San Antonio, TX	54.69	130	123	36	91	41
72	Nashville, TN	54.43	127	79	64	163	22
73	Chula Vista, CA	54.43	17	137	88	28	123
74	Reno, NV	54.39	39	129	68	168	52
75	Dallas, TX	54.36	108	121	77	71	48
76	Santa Rosa, CA	54.28	8	109	137	46	140
77	Rapid City, SD	54.22	113	85	45	42	101
78	Kansas City, MO	54.12	148	24	73	119	46
79	Des Moines, IA	54.06	142	25	63	60	81
80	Columbus, OH	53.98	124	31	138	102	37
81	Santa Clarita, CA	53.95	18	119	145	30	120
82	Arlington, TX	53.88	106	102	58	64	82
83	St. Paul, MN	53.87	94	30	153	70	56
84	Oklahoma City, OK	53.77	140	22	42	134	68
85	Vancouver, WA	53.68	41	59	151	72	105
86	Oakland, CA	53.65	46	116	172	21	78
87	Spokane, WA	53.64	74	87	81	105	91
88	Cheyenne, WY	53.42	138	45	43	58	119
89	El Paso, TX	53.40	125	128	49	89	53
90	Billings, MT	53.19	115	38	61	127	99
91	Modesto, CA	53.05	56	55	103	113	131
92	Cincinnati, OH	52.94	117	91	139	154	20
93	Tacoma, WA	52.92	107	32	136	107	72
94	St. Louis, MO	52.84	80	65	106	179	33
95	Greensboro, NC	52.82	93	111	62	99	90
96	New York, NY	52.81	69	169	177	26	35
97	Huntsville, AL	52.76	158	27	40	103	96
98	Garden Grove, CA	52.68	45	152	143	19	125
99	Aurora, CO	52.68	49	105	102	88	122
100	Anaheim, CA	52.62	12	172	159	18	106
101	Missoula, MT	52.44	60	161	84	144	69
102	Juneau, AK	52.42	59	56	92	130	149
103	Louisville, KY	52.37	116	40	97	173	44
104	Manchester, NH	52.36	82	75	105	121	103
105	Knoxville, TN	52.29	104	164	12	172	43
106	Irving, TX	52.27	114	70	48	74	114
107	Amarillo, TX	52.15	128	84	9	118	136
108	Jersey City, NJ	52.11	66	95	108	68	121
109	Anchorage, AK	52.04	87	43	131	108	100
110	Port St. Lucie, FL	51.80	131	96	5	110	141
111	Glendale, CA	51.57	19	158	161	36	148
112	Aurora, IL	51.56	110	41	115	56	129
113	Riverside, CA	51.55	83	142	46	87	128
114	Warwick, RI	51.44	68	12	132	133	159
115	Tallahassee, FL	51.24	136	171	74	65	57
116	Columbia, SC	51.05	152	133	76	98	61
117	Long Beach, CA	50.96	28	178	157	43	102
118	Tulsa, OK	50.78	137	73	87	117	92
119	Rochester, NY	50.75	105	118	158	83	73
120	Springfield, MO	50.41	121	135	35	153	98
121	Chattanooga, TN	50.16	159	94	56	162	71
122	Yonkers, NY	49.87	72	136	166	9	164
123	Lubbock, TX	49.74	145	134	30	120	111
124	Grand Prairie, TX	49.73	162	92	59	86	138
125	Fort Wayne, IN	49.57	169	44	66	76	139
126	Garland, TX	49.40	134	62	69	81	160
127	Buffalo, NY	49.30	101	89	165	140	88
128	Wichita, KS	49.29	167	15	110	128	116
129	Richmond, VA	49.28	95	148	156	131	77
130	Bakersfield, CA	49.26	85	82	120	126	146
131	Casper, WY	49.16	122	53	135	124	151
132	Milwaukee, WI	49.16	132	78	164	148	66
133	Indianapolis, IN	49.14	133	64	146	149	86
134	Winston-Salem, NC	48.63	160	103	86	94	134
135	Corpus Christi, TX	48.26	164	120	78	147	93
136	Norfolk, VA	47.93	154	168	119	123	74
137	Oxnard, CA	47.89	54	157	148	59	180
138	Providence, RI	47.87	91	132	171	145	94
139	Fresno, CA	47.42	81	126	125	150	152
140	New Orleans, LA	47.37	143	179	163	159	27
141	Philadelphia, PA	47.24	79	66	180	181	60
142	Nampa, ID	47.18	163	143	52	109	163
143	Santa Ana, CA	47.17	75	176	133	29	170
144	Ontario, CA	47.06	149	167	71	79	155
145	Fontana, CA	47.05	150	154	89	75	156
146	Salem, OR	47.05	126	107	112	156	154
147	Birmingham, AL	46.99	170	162	91	164	64
148	Newport News, VA	46.94	147	144	99	115	145
149	Bridgeport, CT	46.85	70	140	182	8	177
150	Moreno Valley, CA	46.59	141	149	94	92	168
151	Fort Smith, AR	46.57	155	88	26	170	169
152	Las Cruces, NM	46.42	153	166	144	85	143
153	Baltimore, MD	46.40	100	93	176	180	79
154	Worcester, MA	46.37	111	115	178	129	137
155	Little Rock, AR	46.21	146	114	122	146	158
156	Stockton, CA	45.97	103	117	147	96	174
157	Baton Rouge, LA	45.60	166	163	160	138	83
158	Columbus, GA	45.54	165	146	72	114	175
159	Akron, OH	45.33	151	108	154	158	130
160	Cleveland, OH	45.19	157	98	179	171	76
161	Wilmington, DE	44.99	135	127	175	151	132
162	Lewiston, ME	44.84	120	74	93	176	182
163	Mobile, AL	44.79	161	138	129	167	126
164	New Haven, CT	44.65	139	151	181	62	157
165	North Las Vegas, NV	44.26	118	155	152	169	142
166	Augusta, GA	43.84	176	147	101	143	150
167	Montgomery, AL	43.65	177	139	123	135	133
168	Fayetteville, NC	43.51	156	177	134	142	153
169	Laredo, TX	43.47	182	122	13	104	178
170	Hialeah, FL	43.20	99	182	130	53	173
171	Dover, DE	42.92	173	153	126	139	172
172	Toledo, OH	42.69	144	100	173	175	147
173	Memphis, TN	42.47	174	159	162	166	104
174	Brownsville, TX	42.41	181	141	53	97	181
175	San Bernardino, CA	42.30	171	175	124	116	166
176	Jackson, MS	42.28	180	156	100	137	135
177	Detroit, MI	41.77	168	131	168	177	118
178	Charleston, WV	41.05	175	112	141	178	165
179	Newark, NJ	39.34	129	180	174	157	167
180	Shreveport, LA	38.77	178	174	142	141	176
181	Huntington, WV	38.31	172	170	118	182	162
182	Gulfport, MS	36.05	179	173	128	174	179

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

artwork 2021 best cities for keeping your new years resolutions 2

Ask The Experts

For insight on the challenges in keeping resolutions and tips on overcoming them, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

What tips do you have for people to improve their financial habits in the new year?
Why do so many people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions? What can they do to increase their odds of success?
What age-appropriate resolutions can help kids build skills and habits that will serve them well into adulthood?
Without a doubt, the pandemic affected the majority of Americans’ financial plans. Given that paying off debt or saving a lot of money might not be feasible plans for a few years, what should people keep in mind in order to make – and keep – realistic financial resolutions?
Does using the word “resolutions” deter people from making them? How else can we refer to them?

Ask the Experts

: Amanda Szarzynski
Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Professional Practice; Clinical Director of the Center for Family Services – Oklahoma State University
Read More

: Jerry Gale
Ph.D. – Professor, Human Development and Family Science, College of Family and Consumer Sciences – University of Georgia
Read More

: Shelly Smith-Acuña
Ph.D. – Dean, Professor, Graduate School of Professional Psychology – University of Denver
Read More

: Emily van Sonnenberg
M.A.P.P., CYT – University of California, Los Angeles & Munich University of Applied Sciences
Read More

: Claudia Grauf-Grounds
Ph.D., LMFT – Professor Emerita, Marriage & Family Therapy, Seattle Pacific University – Lecturer II, University of San Diego – Adjunct Faculty, Point Loma Nazarene University
Read More

Methodology

In order to determine the best cities for keeping your New Year’s resolutions, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across five key dimensions: 1) Health Resolutions, 2) Financial Resolutions, 3) School & Work Resolutions, 4) Bad-Habit Resolutions and 5) Relationship Resolutions.

We evaluated those dimensions using 57 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for achieving one’s New Year’s goals. Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available only at the state level. For metrics marked with two asterisks (**), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. In determining our sample, we considered only the city proper in each case, excluding cities in the surrounding metro area.

Health Resolutions – Total Points: 20

Share of Obese Adults: Double Weight (~4.00 Points)
Share of Adults Not Exercising: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Access to Exercise Opportunities: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Access to Healthy-Food Stores: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Inadequate Fruit & Vegetable Consumption: Full* Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of adults who eat fewer than one serving of fruit or vegetables per day.
Share of Residents Who Say They Eat Healthy: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Note: This metric is based on Gallup and Sharecare's 2016 Community Rankings for Healthy Eating report which examines healthy eating across the nation.
Fitness Centers per Capita: Full** Weight (~2.00 Points)
Weight-Loss Centers per Capita: Full** Weight (~2.00 Points)
Average Monthly Fitness-Club Fee: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)

Financial Resolutions – Total Points: 20

Median Annual Income: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
Income Growth (2015–2019): Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Median Credit Score: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Median Credit-Card Debt: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: “Debt” was calculated per person as share of median earnings.
Share of Delinquent Debtors: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Mortgage Debt: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: “Debt” was calculated per person as share of median earnings.
Non-Mortgage Debt: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: “Debt” was calculated per person as share of median earnings.
Debt-to-Income Ratio: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Share of Households with Emergency Savings: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of households that saved for unexpected expenses or emergencies in the past 12 months.
Homeownership Rate: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Rental Affordability: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Annual Price for Two-Bedroom Apartment Rental / Median Annual Household Income.
Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Median House Price / Median Annual Household Income.
Poverty Rate: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Financial-Products Comparison: Full Weight (~1.43 Points)
Note: This metric measures the real intent of the population to compare “credit cards”, “mortgage rates”, “car insurance” and “car loans”. “Real intent” is measured using the average monthly search volumes for those specific terms.

School & Work Resolutions – Total Points: 20

Share of Public Schools Rated by GreatSchools.org with Above Average Score: Double Weight (~2.50 Points)
Average Quality of Universities: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
Note: This metric measures the average WalletHub College & University Score.
High School Dropout Rate: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
Job Opportunities: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Number of Job Openings per Number of Population in Labor Force – Unemployment Rate.
Median Annual Income: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
Income Growth (2015–2019): Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~2.50 Points)
Underemployment Rate: Double Weight (~2.50 Points)
Job Security: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as follows: (Number of Employees in 2019 – Number of Employees in 2018) / Number of Employees in 2018.
Job Satisfaction: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
Gallup-Sharecare State of American Well-Being “Career” Rank: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
Note: The “Career” Rank is defined as “Liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve your goals”.
Employment Outlook: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
Note: This metric is based on the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
Business Startup-Friendliness: Full Weight (~1.25 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best Large Cities to Start a Business” ranking.

Bad-Habit Resolutions – Total Points: 20

Binge Drinking: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
Note: This metric measures the age-adjusted prevalence of binge drinking among adults aged 18 and older.
Share of Adult Smokers: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
Share of Marijuana Users: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
Note: This metric measures the percentage of the population aged 12 and older who used marijuana in the past month.
Access to Opioids: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of opioid pain-reliever prescriptions per 100 residents.
Drug Overdose-Related Deaths: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
Share of Adults with Gambling Disorders: Full* Weight (~2.22 Points)
Share of Adults with Inadequate Sleep: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of adults sleeping fewer than seven hours per night.
Share of Adults in Fair or Poor Health: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)
Share of Adults Who Visited a Doctor and/or Dentist in the Past Year: Full Weight (~2.22 Points)

Relationships Resolutions – Total Points: 20

Nightlife Establishments per Capita: Full** Weight (~1.67 Points)
Restaurants per Capita: Full** Weight (~1.67 Points)
Attractions: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Note: “Attractions” include, for instance, zoos, museums and theaters.
Park Playgrounds per Capita: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Parkland Acres per Capita: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Average Wedding Cost: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Note: “Cost” was calculated as share of median earnings.
Family-Friendliness: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Places to Raise a Family” ranking.
Fun Opportunities: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Most Fun Cities in America” ranking.
Singles-Friendliness: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Singles” ranking.
Sports Fan-Friendliness: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best Sports Cities” ranking.
Gallup-Sharecare State of American Well-Being “Social” Rank: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
Note: The “Social” Rank is defined as "Having supportive relationships and love in your life".
Share of Residents Who Regularly Talk or Spend Time with Friends and Family: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Center for Education Statistics, U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, Council for Community and Economic Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Wedding Report, County Health Rankings, Yelp, Numbeo, TransUnion, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, GreatSchools, Corporation for National and Community Service, National Council on Problem Gambling, Indeed, Chmura Economics & Analytics, ManpowerGroup, Google Ads, TripAdvisor, The Trust for Public Land, Gallup – Sharecare and WalletHub research.

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