2023’s Most Overweight and Obese Cities in the U.S.

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial WriterMar 13, 2023

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial Writer
Mar 13, 2023

Americans are some of the most overweight people in the world, not just stereotypically but statistically too. In fact, over 40% of U.S. adults are obese. Such a finding should come as no surprise, though, considering the huge availability of fast-food and cheap unhealthy grocery items that have negatively altered our diets. Unfortunately, the extra pounds have inflated the costs of obesity-related medical treatment to approximately $190.2 billion a year and annual productivity losses due to work absenteeism to around $4.3 billion.

Certain places are more responsible than others for tipping the scale in favor of poor health, though. To identify them, WalletHub compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across 19 key indicators of weight-related problems. Our data set ranges from the share of physically inactive adults to projected obesity rates by 2030 to healthy-food access.

Table of Contents

Main Findings

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Fattest Cities in the U.S.

Overall Rank	Metro Area	Total Score	Obesity & Overweight	Health Consequences	Food & Fitness
1	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	85.93	5	2	2
2	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	84.88	8	3	3
3	Mobile, AL	84.52	2	7	21
4	Knoxville, TN	84.31	9	1	19
5	Jackson, MS	84.18	7	6	11
6	Chattanooga, TN-GA	84.02	6	8	13
7	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	83.74	1	24	9
8	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	83.46	13	4	15
9	Birmingham-Hoover, AL	82.37	14	12	14
10	Columbia, SC	81.64	17	16	7
11	Lafayette, LA	81.11	15	25	16
12	Baton Rouge, LA	80.93	19	5	27
13	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	80.86	24	13	8
14	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	80.70	10	26	28
15	Greenville-Anderson, SC	79.10	27	34	10
16	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	78.99	11	59	18
17	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC	78.80	26	28	25
18	Huntsville, AL	78.65	21	91	17
19	Tulsa, OK	78.55	20	22	32
20	Oklahoma City, OK	78.50	22	31	23
21	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	78.28	12	14	61
22	Wichita, KS	78.15	42	17	4
23	Winston-Salem, NC	78.10	57	11	1
24	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	78.01	16	57	29
25	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	77.97	3	33	70
26	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	77.93	18	32	38
27	New Orleans-Metairie, LA	77.13	23	23	48
28	El Paso, TX	77.11	4	64	54
29	Fort Wayne, IN	77.10	53	18	5
30	Canton-Massillon, OH	77.03	50	10	22
31	Greensboro-High Point, NC	76.90	49	15	12
32	Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA	76.89	37	41	6
33	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	76.65	46	9	26
34	Lexington-Fayette, KY	76.43	25	39	39
35	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	75.62	40	19	34
36	Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI	75.37	34	35	47
37	Richmond, VA	74.97	55	20	33
38	Toledo, OH	74.88	43	40	24
39	Kansas City, MO-KS	74.60	29	63	31
40	Akron, OH	74.32	36	60	40
41	Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	74.15	38	30	53
42	Albuquerque, NM	73.58	32	36	64
43	Dayton-Kettering, OH	73.40	51	45	42
44	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	73.30	47	21	55
45	Columbus, OH	73.22	41	43	52
46	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	72.54	28	62	66
47	Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	72.51	33	86	57
48	Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT	72.33	54	53	46
49	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	72.02	39	27	83
50	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA	71.93	30	42	85
51	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	71.85	48	61	43
52	Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN	71.73	58	48	37
53	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	71.70	75	37	36
54	Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	71.41	63	56	50
55	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	71.39	66	80	20
56	St. Louis, MO-IL	71.25	35	66	73
57	Asheville, NC	71.19	76	50	30
58	Raleigh-Cary, NC	71.08	44	46	76
59	Anchorage, AK	71.03	56	65	41
60	New Haven-Milford, CT	70.34	64	75	60
61	Cleveland-Elyria, OH	70.21	45	72	65
62	Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	70.13	62	38	68
63	Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX	69.92	31	79	87
64	Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	69.57	59	78	56
65	Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV	69.22	77	29	79
66	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	68.79	84	77	45
67	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	68.71	69	49	74
68	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	68.70	72	54	63
69	Reno, NV	68.61	78	47	67
70	Manchester-Nashua, NH	68.48	91	51	44
71	Springfield, MA	68.48	85	69	58
72	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	68.06	67	44	88
73	Portland-South Portland, ME	68.04	82	81	62
74	Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA	67.73	70	67	72
75	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	67.68	60	71	84
76	Tucson, AZ	67.43	79	52	81
77	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	67.34	73	58	86
78	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	67.04	61	83	80
79	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT	66.77	74	98	75
80	Worcester, MA-CT	66.32	88	95	51
81	Jacksonville, FL	66.30	87	68	77
82	Boise City, ID	65.97	90	55	71
83	Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	65.95	65	82	91
84	Ogden-Clearfield, UT	65.83	96	70	49
85	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	65.75	52	92	97
86	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL	65.42	68	85	89
87	Pittsburgh, PA	65.00	81	88	82
88	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	64.34	80	74	99
89	Provo-Orem, UT	64.22	98	84	35
90	Salt Lake City, UT	63.82	97	73	78
91	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	63.78	86	76	90
92	San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA	63.20	83	97	92
93	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	63.14	71	89	93
94	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	61.21	89	100	95
95	Urban Honolulu, HI	60.91	93	93	100
96	Colorado Springs, CO	60.82	99	94	59
97	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	60.80	92	87	98
98	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	60.70	95	90	94
99	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	59.34	94	96	96
100	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	58.83	100	99	69

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

% of Obese Adults

Highest

Highest
1. McAllen, TX
2. Little Rock, AR
3. Akron, OH
4. Mobile, AL
5. Wichita, KS

Lowest

Lowest
96. Tucson, AZ
97. San Diego, CA
98. Bridgeport, CT
99. San Jose, CA
100. Asheville, NC

% of Physically Inactive Adults

Highest

Highest
1. McAllen, TX
2. Mobile, AL
3. Jackson, MS
4. Miami, FL
5. Lexington-Fayette, KY

Lowest

Lowest
96. Sacramento, CA
97. Denver, CO
98. Raleigh, NC
99. Seattle, WA
100. Provo, UT

% of Adults with High Cholesterol

Highest

Highest
1. Knoxville, TN
2. Shreveport, LA
3. Winston, NC
4. Greensboro, NC
5. Baton Rouge, LA

Lowest

Lowest
T-94. Sacramento, CA
T-94. Youngstown, OH
96. San Jose, CA
97. Jacksonville, FL
98. El Paso, TX

% of Adults with Low Fruit/Vegetable Consumption

Highest

Highest
1. Baton Rouge, LA
2. Lafayette, LA
3. Shreveport, LA
4. Chattanooga, TN
5. Memphis, TN

Lowest

Lowest
84. Raleigh, NC
85. Sacramento, CA
86. Lexington-Fayette, KY
87. Allentown, PA
88. Portland, ME

% of Diabetic Adults

Highest

Highest
1. Mobile, AL
2. Baton Rouge, LA
3. Memphis, TN
T-4. McAllen, TX
T-4. Jackson, MS

Lowest

Lowest
T-95. Honolulu, HI
T-95. Colorado Springs, CO
97. Asheville, NC
98. Seattle, WA
T-99. Denver, CO
T-99. Bridgeport, CT

% of Adults with High Blood Pressure

Highest

Highest
1. Shreveport, LA
2. Birmingham, AL
3. Lafayette, LA
4. Little Rock, AR
5. Baton Rouge, LA

Lowest

Lowest
94. Denver, CO
95. Colorado Springs, CO
96. Provo, UT
97. Tucson, AZ
98. San Jose, CA

Ask the Experts

Fighting obesity requires a multi-level approach. We turned to a panel of experts for the best ways to address the problem, from the personal to policy level. Click on the experts’ profiles to read their bios and responses to the following key questions:

What are some tips for eating healthy without breaking the bank?
What are the biggest mistakes people make when trying to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle?
What are some measures that individuals can take to prevent severe health complications caused by obesity?
Should employers play a role in helping workers maintain a healthy lifestyle? If so, how?
What policies should federal and/or state governments pursue to combat obesity and lower the cost of health care?

Ask the Experts

Lina Begdache
Ph.D., RDN, CDN, CNS-S, FAND – Associate Professor, Health and Wellness Studies Department, Decker College of Nursing & Health Sciences – Binghamton University
Read More

Travis Masterson
MS, Ph.D. – Broadhurst Career Development Professor for the Study of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Director of the Health, Ingestive Behavior, and Technology Laboratory, Institute for Computational and Data Sciences – Affiliate – The Pennsylvania State University
Read More

Tanya M. Halliday
Ph.D., RD – Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Kinesiology – University of Utah
Read More

Lisa MB Salinas
Ph.D., RDN, LD – Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Health & Biomedical Sciences – University of Texas: Rio Grande Valley
Read More

Juaqula Madkin
Extension Instructor, Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion, Mississippi State University
Read More

Colleen Tewksbury
Ph.D., MPH, RD – Assistant Professor in Nutrition Science – University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Read More

More Experts

Methodology

In order to determine the fattest cities in America, WalletHub compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across three key dimensions: 1) Obesity & Overweight, 2) Health Consequences and 3) Food & Fitness.

We evaluated those dimensions using 19 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 “fattest.” Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available only at the state level.

We then determined each metro area’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Obesity & Overweight – Total Points: 60

Share of Overweight Adults: Full Weight (~13.33 Points)
Share of Obese Adults: Full Weight (~13.33 Points)
Share of Overweight Teenagers: Half* Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: “Teenagers” includes 9th through 12th grade students.
Share of Obese Teenagers: Half* Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: “Teenagers” includes 9th through 12th grade students.
Share of Overweight Children: Half* Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: “Children” includes persons ages 10 to 17.
Share of Obese Children: Half* Weight (~6.67 Points)
Note: “Children” includes persons ages 10 to 17.
Projected Obesity Rates by 2030: Half* Weight (~6.67 Points)

Health Consequences – Total Points: 25

Share of Adults with High Cholesterol: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Share of Diabetic Adults: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Share of Adults with High Blood Pressure: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Heart-Disease Rate: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
Obesity-Related Death Rate: Half* Weight (~2.78 Points)

Food & Fitness – Total Points: 15

Share of Adults with Low Fruit/Vegetable Consumption: Full Weight (~1.50 Points)
Note: This metric refers to the share of adults who consume fruit and vegetables less than one time per day.
Share of Residents Who Say They Eat Healthy: Full Weight (~1.50 Points)
Limited Access to Healthy Food: Full Weight (~1.50 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of urban-area residents who earn a low income and live more than 1 mile from a grocery store or supermarket.
Share of Physically Inactive Adults: Full Weight (~1.50 Points)
City Friendliness toward an Active Lifestyle: Quadruple Weight (~6.00 Points)
Note: This metric is based on data from WalletHub’s "Best & Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle" ranking.
Access to Parks & Recreational Facilities: Full Weight (~1.50 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of individuals who live reasonably close to a location for physical activity - parks or recreational facilities.
Number of Health Educators and Community Health Workers per Capita: Full Weight (~1.50 Points)
Note: Health educators teach people about behaviors that promote wellness. They develop and implement strategies to improve the health of individuals and communities.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, County Health Rankings, United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, Gallup-Sharecare, Trust for America's Health and WalletHub research.

Supporting Video Files:

Questions & Answers(2 questions)

Why can't this be broken down by socio-economic, race, and gender?

Upvotes

best place to go for a person 480 lbs

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