Most Overweight and Obese Cities in the U.S.

Adam McCann, Financial WriterMar 14, 2022

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
Mar 14, 2022

Americans are some of the most overweight people in the world, not just stereotypically but statistically too. In fact, over 40 percent of U.S. adults are obese. Such a finding should come as no surprise, though, considering the huge availability of fast-food and increasingly cheaper 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.

Being obese is bad for a person’s health in general, but it’s especially dangerous during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it increases the risk of serious symptoms and may even triple the risk of hospitalization, according to the CDC.

Certain places are more responsible than others for tipping the scale in favor of bad 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	84.78	6	5	1
2	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	83.94	8	2	4
3	Knoxville, TN	83.92	4	1	20
4	Mobile, AL	83.04	3	6	19
5	Jackson, MS	82.94	1	17	9
6	Birmingham-Hoover, AL	82.91	2	10	8
7	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	82.82	5	9	14
8	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	82.76	10	4	12
9	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	82.42	17	3	5
10	Baton Rouge, LA	81.91	13	8	10
11	Chattanooga, TN-GA	80.50	11	23	15
12	Lafayette, LA	80.28	12	21	16
13	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC	78.39	32	7	30
14	Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA	78.24	14	32	25
15	Huntsville, AL	78.24	15	94	23
16	Winston-Salem, NC	78.06	52	11	2
17	Wichita, KS	77.95	40	18	3
18	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	77.65	7	32	39
19	New Orleans-Metairie, LA	77.54	24	14	34
20	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	77.29	20	36	27
21	Canton-Massillon, OH	77.22	39	12	31
22	Tulsa, OK	77.17	27	25	18
23	Oklahoma City, OK	76.76	23	28	24
24	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	76.59	18	22	43
25	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	76.40	9	24	66
26	Columbia, SC	76.26	36	29	13
27	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	76.08	19	38	33
28	Lexington-Fayette, KY	76.06	22	31	32
29	Greensboro-High Point, NC	76.00	47	16	17
30	El Paso, TX	75.88	16	37	45
31	Fort Wayne, IN	75.87	34	39	7
32	Greenville-Anderson, SC	75.80	41	30	11
33	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	75.68	50	13	26
34	Toledo, OH	75.27	29	45	21
35	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	74.81	45	27	28
36	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	74.53	21	20	77
37	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	74.44	35	15	58
38	Dayton-Kettering, OH	74.41	33	43	40
39	Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	74.25	25	59	53
40	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	74.04	56	47	6
41	Richmond, VA	73.18	49	42	36
42	Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	72.88	46	34	38
43	Akron, OH	72.66	43	65	37
44	Kansas City, MO-KS	72.48	38	76	29
45	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	71.86	28	40	81
46	Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI	71.76	37	80	60
47	Columbus, OH	71.60	42	49	50
48	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA	71.26	31	56	73
49	St. Louis, MO-IL	71.17	30	68	64
50	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	71.10	59	73	22
51	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	70.80	71	35	42
52	Asheville, NC	70.76	66	46	47
53	Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN	70.63	55	26	56
54	Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX	70.46	26	74	85
55	Cleveland-Elyria, OH	70.25	44	52	69
56	Raleigh-Cary, NC	70.20	57	51	48
57	Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	70.12	60	66	55
58	Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT	68.97	65	78	49
59	Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	68.95	73	54	44
60	Pittsburgh, PA	68.83	53	62	75
61	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	68.78	67	57	52
62	New Haven-Milford, CT	68.67	70	70	63
63	Anchorage, AK	68.63	54	86	54
64	Albuquerque, NM	68.42	48	75	84
65	Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV	68.38	75	19	87
66	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	68.38	64	58	62
67	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	68.21	69	41	74
68	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	68.11	76	72	46
69	Manchester-Nashua, NH	67.51	87	48	59
70	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	67.28	58	81	78
71	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	66.96	61	44	90
72	Jacksonville, FL	66.72	80	64	61
73	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL	66.44	63	83	71
74	Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA	66.37	68	69	82
75	Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	66.21	72	79	72
76	San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	66.03	81	50	83
77	Portland-South Portland, ME	66.02	84	82	67
78	Reno, NV	65.96	83	53	70
79	Worcester, MA-CT	65.96	91	67	57
80	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	65.48	51	90	94
81	Springfield, MA	65.44	89	77	68
82	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT	65.30	77	98	79
83	Ogden-Clearfield, UT	64.87	96	63	41
84	Boise City, ID	64.76	90	61	76
85	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	64.60	79	88	80
86	Tucson, AZ	64.59	82	55	92
87	Salt Lake City, UT	63.19	97	60	65
88	Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	62.88	78	97	88
89	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	62.74	74	85	99
90	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	62.10	62	91	98
91	San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA	61.85	85	93	89
92	Provo-Orem, UT	61.85	100	84	35
93	Colorado Springs, CO	60.96	98	87	51
94	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	60.11	93	71	96
95	Urban Honolulu, HI	59.89	94	89	100
96	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	59.78	92	99	93
97	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	59.40	86	92	97
98	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	59.38	88	96	95
99	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	58.08	99	95	86
100	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	58.05	95	100	91

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.

artwork 2022 fattest cities

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?
According to the CDC, obesity worsens the outcomes from COVID-19. What measures can individuals take to prevent severe complications in the event they contract COVID-19?
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

Kathleen Davis
Ph.D., RDN, LD – Assistant Professor, Nutrition and Food Sciences – Texas Woman’s University
Read More

William J. McCarthy
Adjunct Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health – University of California, Los Angeles
Read More

Sherry Pagoto
Ph.D. – Professor in the Department of Allied Health Sciences; Director, UConn Center for mHealth & Social Media – University of Connecticut
Read More

Casey Colin
DCN, RDN, LD/N, CNSC, ACSM-CPT, FAND – Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Brooks College of Health – University of North Florida
Read More

Amy S. Lu
Ph.D. – Associate Professor; Director, Health Technology Lab, College of Arts, Media & Design, Bouvé College of Health Sciences – Northeastern University
Read More

Julie Garden-Robinson
Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D. – Professor and Food and Nutrition Specialist – North Dakota State University Extension
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.

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