Unveiling Obesity: Identifying the Cities with the Highest Obesity Rates in Each U.S. State

Obesity, characterized by a body mass index exceeding 30, is linked to an elevated risk of severe conditions such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and specific cancers—leading causes of mortality in the United States.

Obesity is a multifaceted health issue influenced by various factors, including genetics, access to nutritious food, insufficient sleep, and a sedentary lifestyle. Consequently, obesity prevalence varies significantly not only between states but also among cities within the same state.

• Alabama: Dothan
  – Obesity rate among adults: 39.2% (state: 36.3%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 12.5% (state: 12.2%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 35.7% (state: 30.8%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.6% (state: 21.4%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 39.4% (state: 39.6%)
  – Median household income: $47,608 (state: $52,035)
• Alaska: Anchorage
  – Obesity rate among adults: 31.1% (state: 30.7%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 8.2% (state: 7.1%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 21.4% (state: 21.6%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.8% (state: 15.7%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 34.1% (state: 33.3%)
  – Median household income: $82,890 (state: $77,790)
• Arizona: Yuma
  – Obesity rate among adults: 38.4% (state: 31.9%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 13.4% (state: 9.8%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 29.7% (state: 23.6%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 27.2% (state: 18.3%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 33.8% (state: 34.9%)
  – Median household income: $48,790 (state: $61,529)
• Arkansas: Pine Bluff
  – Obesity rate among adults: 41.2% (state: 38.0%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 14.2% (state: 12.1%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 36.8% (state: 30.4%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 26.9% (state: 24.1%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 39.7% (state: 37.2%)
  – Median household income: $41,856 (state: $49,475)
• California: Fresno
  – Obesity rate among adults: 37.6% (state: 26.2%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 13.5% (state: 9.4%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 29.4% (state: 22.3%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 25.7% (state: 17.8%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 38.0% (state: 34.5%)
  – Median household income: $57,109 (state: $78,672)
• Colorado: Pueblo
  – Obesity rate among adults: 30.6% (state: 23.6%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 9.8% (state: 6.6%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 24.0% (state: 18.7%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 19.9% (state: 13.7%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 36.1% (state: 30.0%)
  – Median household income: $49,979 (state: $75,231)
• Connecticut: New Haven-Milford
  – Obesity rate among adults: 32.3% (state: 29.1%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 9.6% (state: 8.2%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 24.8% (state: 23.3%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.2% (state: 14.3%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 37.7% (state: 33.8%)
  – Median household income: $71,370 (state: $79,855)
• Delaware: Dover
  – Obesity rate among adults: 41.2% (state: 34.2%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 11.8% (state: 10.9%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 31.0% (state: 25.3%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 19.9% (state: 18.0%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 39.3% (state: 36.5%)
  – Median household income: $60,117 (state: $69,110)
• Florida: Lakeland-Winter Haven
  – Obesity rate among adults: 36.6% (state: 26.3%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 12.4% (state: 9.4%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 32.8% (state: 25.9%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 24.0% (state: 17.8%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 40.2% (state: 37.3%)
  – Median household income: $51,535 (state: $57,703)
• Georgia: Albany (tied)
  – Obesity rate among adults: 37.4% (state: 33.4%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 14.6% (state: 11.1%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 35.3% (state: 27.4%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 25.1% (state: 19.3%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 41.9% (state: 38.3%)
  – Median household income: $46,323 (state: $61,224)
• Georgia: Columbus (tied)
  – Obesity rate among adults: 37.4% (state: 33.4%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 13.6% (state: 11.1%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 33.3% (state: 27.4%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.0% (state: 19.3%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 42.9% (state: 38.3%)
  – Median household income: $48,903 (state: $61,224)
• Hawaii: Urban Honolulu
  – Obesity rate among adults: 25.4% (state: 25.5%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 9.7% (state: 9.3%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 25.1% (state: 23.9%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.6% (state: 15.3%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 47.1% (state: 43.2%)
  – Median household income: $87,722 (state: $83,173)
• Idaho: Pocatello
  – Obesity rate among adults: 35.6% (state: 29.5%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 10.0% (state: 9.2%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 27.1% (state: 23.3%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.2% (state: 15.1%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 34.2% (state: 33.4%)
  – Median household income: $51,914 (state: $58,915)
• Illinois: Danville
  – Obesity rate among adults: 39.1% (state: 31.5%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 11.1% (state: 10.0%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 31.1% (state: 25.1%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.2% (state: 17.1%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 36.4% (state: 33.5%)
  – Median household income: $46,842 (state: $68,428)
• Indiana: Muncie
  – Obesity rate among adults: 39.0% (state: 35.4%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 11.8% (state: 11.1%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 31.6% (state: 30.6%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.1% (state: 18.9%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 38.3% (state: 38.0%)
  – Median household income: $45,910 (state: $58,235)
• Iowa: Sioux City
  – Obesity rate among adults: 39.2% (state: 34.3%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 10.5% (state: 9.0%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 31.4% (state: 26.1%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.2% (state: 13.6%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 31.6% (state: 33.1%)
  – Median household income: $61,399 (state: $61,836)
• Kansas: Topeka
  – Obesity rate among adults: 38.1% (state: 35.6%)
  – Adults with diabetes: 10.3% (state: 9.7%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 29.5% (state: 26.7%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.7% (state: 17.1%)
  – Adults getting <7 hours of sleep per night: 34.6% (state: 34.0%)
  – Median household income: $59,815 (state: $61,091)
• Kentucky: Owensboro
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 37.4% (state: 36.4%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 11.4% (state: 11.7%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 33.0% (state: 31.6%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.5% (state: 22.0%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 41.4% (state: 42.1%)
  – Median household income: $54,946 (state: $52,238)
• Louisiana: Alexandria
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 39.6% (state: 36.2%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 12.1% (state: 11.3%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 34.8% (state: 31.5%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.7% (state: 21.7%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 39.3% (state: 38.0%)
  – Median household income: $48,294 (state: $50,800)
• Maine: Bangor
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 34.7% (state: 31.4%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 9.5% (state: 8.7%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 33.5% (state: 29.5%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.5% (state: 17.2%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 36.7% (state: 34.5%)
  – Median household income: $52,128 (state: $59,489)
• Maryland: Cumberland
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 38.8% (state: 32.0%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 11.3% (state: 9.8%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 31.1% (state: 23.0%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.1% (state: 14.0%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 41.4% (state: 37.7%)
  – Median household income: $50,188 (state: $87,063)
• Massachusetts: Worcester
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 31.3% (state: 25.4%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 8.3% (state: 7.4%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 26.4% (state: 26.0%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.6% (state: 13.4%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 38.5% (state: 34.3%)
  – Median household income: $75,705 (state: $84,385)
• Michigan: Saginaw
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 41.7% (state: 35.8%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 11.1% (state: 9.5%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 27.1% (state: 24.6%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.1% (state: 18.2%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 40.2% (state: 40.4%)
  – Median household income: $49,565 (state: $59,234)
• Minnesota: St. Cloud
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 34.7% (state: 30.0%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 8.5% (state: 7.8%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 23.4% (state: 19.7%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.0% (state: 13.3%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 31.2% (state: 29.1%)
  – Median household income: $64,118 (state: $73,382)
• Mississippi: Hattiesburg
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 41.1% (state: 41.2%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 12.1% (state: 13.3%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 37.4% (state: 36.9%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.7% (state: 22.0%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 37.5% (state: 37.8%)
  – Median household income: $48,231 (state: $46,511)
• Missouri: Joplin
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 37.8% (state: 34.6%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 10.0% (state: 9.0%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 34.2% (state: 29.6%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.3% (state: 17.6%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 35.3% (state: 35.2%)
  – Median household income: $50,244 (state: $57,290)
• Montana: Great Falls
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 32.3% (state: 28.0%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 8.1% (state: 6.4%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 21.8% (state: 18.6%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.6% (state: 14.4%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 35.9% (state: 30.9%)
  – Median household income: $52,049 (state: $56,539)
• Nebraska: Grand Island
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 40.2% (state: 34.3%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 10.2% (state: 9.1%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 32.8% (state: 26.6%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.4% (state: 13.9%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 30.8% (state: 32.3%)
  – Median household income: $57,938 (state: $63,015)
• Nevada: Carson City
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 31.2% (state: 30.5%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 9.5% (state: 9.9%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 26.1% (state: 25.6%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 19.6% (state: 20.1%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 38.5% (state: 37.3%)
  – Median household income: $58,305 (state: $62,043)
• New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua
  – Obesity prevalence among adults: 32.2% (state: 32.1%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 8.0% (state: 8.0%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 22.0% (state: 21.1%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.2% (state: 14.3%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 36.3% (state: 35.3%)
  – Median household income: $82,099 (state: $77,923)
• New Jersey: Vineland-Bridgeton
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 39.7% (state: 25.5%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 12.2% (state: 9.5%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 36.3% (state: 27.9%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 25.2% (state: 15.5%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 42.6% (state: 37.5%)
  – Median household income: $55,709 (state: $85,245)
• New Mexico: Farmington
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 35.5% (state: 32.2%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 12.0% (state: 10.9%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 28.1% (state: 24.8%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.4% (state: 20.0%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 33.3% (state: 33.1%)
  – Median household income: $47,643 (state: $51,243)
• New York: Watertown-Fort Drum
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 33.5% (state: 27.2%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 9.7% (state: 9.4%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 29.9% (state: 27.0%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.7% (state: 16.4%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 38.4% (state: 38.9%)
  – Median household income: $54,726 (state: $71,117)
• North Carolina: Greenville
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 39.0% (state: 34.0%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 12.4% (state: 10.5%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 29.7% (state: 25.9%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.8% (state: 18.5%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 38.1% (state: 36.1%)
  – Median household income: $49,337 (state: $56,642)
• North Dakota: Grand Forks
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 35.2% (state: 35.8%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 8.9% (state: 8.2%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 25.1% (state: 27.9%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.4% (state: 13.3%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 32.0% (state: 32.8%)
  – Median household income: $55,122 (state: $65,315)
• Ohio: Springfield
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 40.8% (state: 34.6%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 11.5% (state: 10.3%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 30.8% (state: 27.6%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.8% (state: 18.1%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 42.7% (state: 40.6%)
  – Median household income: $51,504 (state: $58,116)
• Oklahoma: Lawton
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 42.1% (state: 37.1%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 11.8% (state: 11.0%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 39.0% (state: 33.4%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.0% (state: 21.3%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 41.7% (state: 37.5%)
  – Median household income: $52,219 (state: $53,840)
• Oregon: Salem
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 35.7% (state: 28.8%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 9.9% (state: 7.5%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 28.1% (state: 23.5%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.9% (state: 17.4%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 34.7% (state: 32.8%)
  – Median household income: $62,539 (state: $65,667)
• Pennsylvania: Chambersburg-Waynesboro
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 36.8% (state: 33.1%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 8.8% (state: 9.2%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 28.0% (state: 24.6%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 19.0% (state: 17.6%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 37.9% (state: 38.6%)
  – Median household income: $63,420 (state: $63,627)
• Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 31.0% (state: 30.1%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 9.2% (state: 9.1%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 27.8% (state: 26.0%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.4% (state: 16.3%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 37.2% (state: 36.7%)
  – Median household income: $70,676 (state: $70,305)
• South Carolina: Sumter
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 40.1% (state: 35.5%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 13.8% (state: 11.5%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 33.5% (state: 28.5%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.8% (state: 17.8%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 40.6% (state: 38.8%)
  – Median household income: $45,854 (state: $54,864)
• South Dakota: Sioux Falls
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 33.3% (state: 33.1%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 7.8% (state: 9.3%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 28.2% (state: 28.9%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.2% (state: 15.1%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 29.5% (state: 30.1%)
  – Median household income: $67,713 (state: $59,896)
• Tennessee: Jackson
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 40.1% (state: 36.6%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 12.9% (state: 12.0%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 33.7% (state: 29.0%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 24.0% (state: 20.3%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 41.7% (state: 40.8%)
  – Median household income: $48,146 (state: $54,833)
• Texas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 48.1% (state: 34.1%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 18.1% (state: 11.8%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 36.6% (state: 26.9%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 34.3% (state: 20.9%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 35.4% (state: 34.4%)
  – Median household income: $41,846 (state: $63,826)
• Utah: Ogden-Clearfield
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 34.7% (state: 29.9%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 9.1% (state: 8.3%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 21.4% (state: 18.7%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.0% (state: 14.8%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 32.0% (state: 31.2%)
  – Median household income: $78,680 (state: $74,197)
• Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 25.2% (state: 27.1%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 6.8% (state: 7.3%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 18.7% (state: 19.3%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.0% (state: 12.6%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 30.6% (state: 30.1%)
  – Median household income: $73,447 (state: $63,477)
• Virginia: Harrisonburg
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 35.5% (state: 31.8%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 10.8% (state: 9.8%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 30.4% (state: 24.8%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.6% (state: 16.1%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 37.3% (state: 38.6%)
  – Median household income: $59,261 (state: $76,398)
• Washington: Yakima
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 37.1% (state: 28.2%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 13.0% (state: 8.5%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 28.6% (state: 18.9%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 25.7% (state: 15.7%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 33.7% (state: 31.8%)
  – Median household income: $54,917 (state: $77,006)
• West Virginia: Morgantown
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 40.6% (state: 39.7%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 11.4% (state: 13.0%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 27.4% (state: 29.5%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.8% (state: 24.3%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 41.1% (state: 42.5%)
  – Median household income: $53,681 (state: $48,037)
• Wisconsin: Sheboygan
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 37.0% (state: 34.3%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 7.8% (state: 7.4%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 24.2% (state: 22.3%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.0% (state: 15.0%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 34.1% (state: 32.7%)
  – Median household income: $62,101 (state: $63,293)
• Wyoming: Casper
  – Prevalence of obesity in adults: 31.1% (state: 29.6%)
  – Adults diagnosed with diabetes: 7.9% (state: 6.8%)
  – Adults not engaging in exercise: 26.0% (state: 24.0%)
  – Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.8% (state: 15.7%)
  – Adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night: 33.7% (state: 33.8%)
  – Median household income: $62,168 (state: $65,304)