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
- San Francisco (No. 1 in "Food" and "Green Space" categories)
- Seattle
- Portland, Ore.
- San Diego
- Honolulu
- Washington, DC
- Austin, Texas
- Irvine, Calif.
- Portland, Maine
- Denver
Least Healthy Cities - Lubbock, Texas
- Huntington, W. Va.
- Jackson, Miss.
- Fort Smith, Ark.
- Montgomery, Ala.
- Memphis, Tenn.
- Shreveport, La.
- Gulfport, Miss.
- Laredo, Texas
- Brownsville, Texas
See where other cities
fall on the list. (
Here, the US cities where you'll find the most active lifestyle.)