Obesity, which is defined as having a body mass index over 30, is associated with a higher risk for developing several serious conditions, including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer — which are some of the leading causes of death in the U.S.
Obesity is a complex health concern with a wide range of contributing factors that include genetics, access to healthy food, insufficient sleep, and sedentary lifestyle, among other factors. Partially as a result, obesity rates can range considerably from state to state as well as between cities of the same state.
24/7 Tempo reviewed health data from the 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program, to identify the most obese metro areas in every state.
Low-income areas tend to have higher obesity rates. People with lower incomes are often less able to access health care and afford a healthy lifestyle, in part because they may have less access to a healthy diet. Only 10 of the cities with the highest obesity rates on this list have a median household income higher than that of their respective state.
Though the underlying causes of obesity are many, the potential health outcomes are more apparent. One of them is diabetes. All but seven of the most obese cities on our list have an adult diabetes rate higher than the statewide rate. Click here for 10 warning signs you may have diabetes.
Even in the states with the lowest obesity rates in the country — such as Colorado and California — a quarter of the state population is obese. Nationwide, here are the most obese states.
Click here to see the most obese city in every state
Click here to read our detailed methodology
Alabama: Dothan
> Adults who are obese: 39.2% (state: 36.3%)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.5% (state: 12.2%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 35.7% (state: 30.8%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 23.6% (state: 21.4%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 39.4% (state: 39.6%)
> Media household income: $47,608 (state: $52,035)
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Alaska: Anchorage
> Adults who are obese: 31.1% (state: 30.7%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.2% (state: 7.1%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 21.4% (state: 21.6%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 15.8% (state: 15.7%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 34.1% (state: 33.3%)
> Media household income: $82,890 (state: $77,790)
Arizona: Yuma
> Adults who are obese: 38.4% (state: 31.9%)
> Adults with diabetes: 13.4% (state: 9.8%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 29.7% (state: 23.6%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 27.2% (state: 18.3%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 33.8% (state: 34.9%)
> Media household income: $48,790 (state: $61,529)
Arkansas: Pine Bluff
> Adults who are obese: 41.2% (state: 38.0%)
> Adults with diabetes: 14.2% (state: 12.1%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 36.8% (state: 30.4%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 26.9% (state: 24.1%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 39.7% (state: 37.2%)
> Media household income: $41,856 (state: $49,475)
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California: Fresno
> Adults who are obese: 37.6% (state: 26.2%)
> Adults with diabetes: 13.5% (state: 9.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 29.4% (state: 22.3%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 25.7% (state: 17.8%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 38.0% (state: 34.5%)
> Media household income: $57,109 (state: $78,672)
Colorado: Pueblo
> Adults who are obese: 30.6% (state: 23.6%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.8% (state: 6.6%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 24.0% (state: 18.7%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 19.9% (state: 13.7%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 36.1% (state: 30.0%)
> Media household income: $49,979 (state: $75,231)
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Connecticut: New Haven-Milford
> Adults who are obese: 32.3% (state: 29.1%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.6% (state: 8.2%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 24.8% (state: 23.3%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 16.2% (state: 14.3%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 37.7% (state: 33.8%)
> Media household income: $71,370 (state: $79,855)
Delaware: Dover
> Adults who are obese: 41.2% (state: 34.2%)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.8% (state: 10.9%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 31.0% (state: 25.3%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 19.9% (state: 18.0%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 39.3% (state: 36.5%)
> Media household income: $60,117 (state: $69,110)
Florida: Lakeland-Winter Haven
> Adults who are obese: 36.6% (state: 26.3%)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.4% (state: 9.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 32.8% (state: 25.9%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 24.0% (state: 17.8%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 40.2% (state: 37.3%)
> Media household income: $51,535 (state: $57,703)
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Georgia: Albany (tied)
> Adults who are obese: 37.4% (state: 33.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 14.6% (state: 11.1%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 35.3% (state: 27.4%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 25.1% (state: 19.3%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 41.9% (state: 38.3%)
> Media household income: $46,323 (state: $61,224)
Georgia: Columbus (tied)
> Adults who are obese: 37.4% (state: 33.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 13.6% (state: 11.1%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 33.3% (state: 27.4%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 23.0% (state: 19.3%
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 42.9% (state: 38.3%)
> Media household income: $48,903 (state: $61,224)
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Hawaii: Urban Honolulu
> Adults who are obese: 25.4% (state: 25.5%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.7% (state: 9.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 25.1% (state: 23.9%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 16.6% (state: 15.3%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 47.1% (state: 43.2%)
> Media household income: $87,722 (state: $83,173)
Idaho: Pocatello
> Adults who are obese: 35.6% (state: 29.5%)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.0% (state: 9.2%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 27.1% (state: 23.3%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 18.2% (state: 15.1%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 34.2% (state: 33.4%)
> Media household income: $51,914 (state: $58,915)
Illinois: Danville
> Adults who are obese: 39.1% (state: 31.5%)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.1% (state: 10.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 31.1% (state: 25.1%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 21.2% (state: 17.1%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 36.4% (state: 33.5%)
> Media household income: $46,842 (state: $68,428)
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Indiana: Muncie
> Adults who are obese: 39.0% (state: 35.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.8% (state: 11.1%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 31.6% (state: 30.6%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 22.1% (state: 18.9%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 38.3% (state: 38.0%)
> Media household income: $45,910 (state: $58,235)
Iowa: Sioux City
> Adults who are obese: 39.2% (state: 34.3%)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.5% (state: 9.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 31.4% (state: 26.1%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 17.2% (state: 13.6%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 31.6% (state: 33.1%)
> Media household income: $61,399 (state: $61,836)
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Kansas: Topeka
> Adults who are obese: 38.1% (state: 35.6%)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.3% (state: 9.7%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 29.5% (state: 26.7%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 17.7% (state: 17.1%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 34.6% (state: 34.0%)
> Media household income: $59,815 (state: $61,091)
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Kentucky: Owensboro
> Adults who are obese: 37.4% (state: 36.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.4% (state: 11.7%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 33.0% (state: 31.6%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 21.5% (state: 22.0%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 41.4% (state: 42.1%)
> Media household income: $54,946 (state: $52,238)
Louisiana: Alexandria
> Adults who are obese: 39.6% (state: 36.2%)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.1% (state: 11.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 34.8% (state: 31.5%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 23.7% (state: 21.7%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 39.3% (state: 38.0%)
> Media household income: $48,294 (state: $50,800)
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Maine: Bangor
> Adults who are obese: 34.7% (state: 31.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.5% (state: 8.7%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 33.5% (state: 29.5%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 18.5% (state: 17.2%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 36.7% (state: 34.5%)
> Media household income: $52,128 (state: $59,489)
Maryland: Cumberland
> Adults who are obese: 38.8% (state: 32.0%)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.3% (state: 9.8%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 31.1% (state: 23.0%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 20.1% (state: 14.0%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 41.4% (state: 37.7%)
> Media household income: $50,188 (state: $87,063)
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Massachusetts: Worcester
> Adults who are obese: 31.3% (state: 25.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.3% (state: 7.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 26.4% (state: 26.0%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 15.6% (state: 13.4%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 38.5% (state: 34.3%)
> Media household income: $75,705 (state: $84,385)
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Michigan: Saginaw
> Adults who are obese: 41.7% (state: 35.8%)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.1% (state: 9.5%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 27.1% (state: 24.6%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 20.1% (state: 18.2%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 40.2% (state: 40.4%)
> Media household income: $49,565 (state: $59,234)
Minnesota: St. Cloud
> Adults who are obese: 34.7% (state: 30.0%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.5% (state: 7.8%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 23.4% (state: 19.7%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 15.0% (state: 13.3%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 31.2% (state: 29.1%)
> Media household income: $64,118 (state: $73,382)
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Mississippi: Hattiesburg
> Adults who are obese: 41.1% (state: 41.2%)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.1% (state: 13.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 37.4% (state: 36.9%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 22.7% (state: 22.0%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 37.5% (state: 37.8%)
> Media household income: $48,231 (state: $46,511)
Missouri: Joplin
> Adults who are obese: 37.8% (state: 34.6%)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.0% (state: 9.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 34.2% (state: 29.6%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 21.3% (state: 17.6%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 35.3% (state: 35.2%)
> Media household income: $50,244 (state: $57,290)
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Montana: Great Falls
> Adults who are obese: 32.3% (state: 28.0%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.1% (state: 6.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 21.8% (state: 18.6%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 16.6% (state: 14.4%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 35.9% (state: 30.9%)
> Media household income: $52,049 (state: $56,539)
Nebraska: Grand Island
> Adults who are obese: 40.2% (state: 34.3%)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.2% (state: 9.1%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 32.8% (state: 26.6%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 17.4% (state: 13.9%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 30.8% (state: 32.3%)
> Media household income: $57,938 (state: $63,015)
Nevada: Carson City
> Adults who are obese: 31.2% (state: 30.5%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.5% (state: 9.9%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 26.1% (state: 25.6%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 19.6% (state: 20.1%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 38.5% (state: 37.3%)
> Media household income: $58,305 (state: $62,043)
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New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua
> Adults who are obese: 32.2% (state: 32.1%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.0% (state: 8.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 22.0% (state: 21.1%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 14.2% (state: 14.3%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 36.3% (state: 35.3%)
> Media household income: $82,099 (state: $77,923)
New Jersey: Vineland-Bridgeton
> Adults who are obese: 39.7% (state: 25.5%)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.2% (state: 9.5%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 36.3% (state: 27.9%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 25.2% (state: 15.5%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 42.6% (state: 37.5%)
> Media household income: $55,709 (state: $85,245)
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New Mexico: Farmington
> Adults who are obese: 35.5% (state: 32.2%)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.0% (state: 10.9%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 28.1% (state: 24.8%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 23.4% (state: 20.0%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 33.3% (state: 33.1%)
> Media household income: $47,643 (state: $51,243)
New York: Watertown-Fort Drum
> Adults who are obese: 33.5% (state: 27.2%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.7% (state: 9.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 29.9% (state: 27.0%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 18.7% (state: 16.4%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 38.4% (state: 38.9%)
> Media household income: $54,726 (state: $71,117)
North Carolina: Greenville
> Adults who are obese: 39.0% (state: 34.0%)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.4% (state: 10.5%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 29.7% (state: 25.9%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 20.8% (state: 18.5%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 38.1% (state: 36.1%)
> Media household income: $49,337 (state: $56,642)
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North Dakota: Grand Forks
> Adults who are obese: 35.2% (state: 35.8%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.9% (state: 8.2%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 25.1% (state: 27.9%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 15.4% (state: 13.3%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 32.0% (state: 32.8%)
> Media household income: $55,122 (state: $65,315)
Ohio: Springfield
> Adults who are obese: 40.8% (state: 34.6%)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.5% (state: 10.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 30.8% (state: 27.6%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 21.8% (state: 18.1%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 42.7% (state: 40.6%)
> Media household income: $51,504 (state: $58,116)
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Oklahoma: Lawton
> Adults who are obese: 42.1% (state: 37.1%)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.8% (state: 11.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 39.0% (state: 33.4%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 23.0% (state: 21.3%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 41.7% (state: 37.5%)
> Media household income: $52,219 (state: $53,840)
Oregon: Salem
> Adults who are obese: 35.7% (state: 28.8%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.9% (state: 7.5%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 28.1% (state: 23.5%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 20.9% (state: 17.4%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 34.7% (state: 32.8%)
> Media household income: $62,539 (state: $65,667)
Pennsylvania: Chambersburg-Waynesboro
> Adults who are obese: 36.8% (state: 33.1%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.8% (state: 9.2%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 28.0% (state: 24.6%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 19.0% (state: 17.6%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 37.9% (state: 38.6%)
> Media household income: $63,420 (state: $63,627)
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Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick
> Adults who are obese: 31.0% (state: 30.1%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.2% (state: 9.1%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 27.8% (state: 26.0%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 17.4% (state: 16.3%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 37.2% (state: 36.7%)
> Media household income: $70,676 (state: $70,305)
South Carolina: Sumter
> Adults who are obese: 40.1% (state: 35.5%)
> Adults with diabetes: 13.8% (state: 11.5%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 33.5% (state: 28.5%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 23.8% (state: 17.8%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 40.6% (state: 38.8%)
> Media household income: $45,854 (state: $54,864)
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South Dakota: Sioux Falls
> Adults who are obese: 33.3% (state: 33.1%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.8% (state: 9.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 28.2% (state: 28.9%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 13.2% (state: 15.1%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 29.5% (state: 30.1%)
> Media household income: $67,713 (state: $59,896)
Tennessee: Jackson
> Adults who are obese: 40.1% (state: 36.6%)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.9% (state: 12.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 33.7% (state: 29.0%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 24.0% (state: 20.3%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 41.7% (state: 40.8%)
> Media household income: $48,146 (state: $54,833)
Texas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
> Adults who are obese: 48.1% (state: 34.1%)
> Adults with diabetes: 18.1% (state: 11.8%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 36.6% (state: 26.9%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 34.3% (state: 20.9%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 35.4% (state: 34.4%)
> Media household income: $41,846 (state: $63,826)
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Utah: Ogden-Clearfield
> Adults who are obese: 34.7% (state: 29.9%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.1% (state: 8.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 21.4% (state: 18.7%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 16.0% (state: 14.8%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 32.0% (state: 31.2%)
> Media household income: $78,680 (state: $74,197)
Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington
> Adults who are obese: 25.2% (state: 27.1%)
> Adults with diabetes: 6.8% (state: 7.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 18.7% (state: 19.3%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 12.0% (state: 12.6%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 30.6% (state: 30.1%)
> Media household income: $73,447 (state: $63,477)
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Virginia: Harrisonburg
> Adults who are obese: 35.5% (state: 31.8%)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.8% (state: 9.8%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 30.4% (state: 24.8%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 20.6% (state: 16.1%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 37.3% (state: 38.6%)
> Media household income: $59,261 (state: $76,398)
Washington: Yakima
> Adults who are obese: 37.1% (state: 28.2%)
> Adults with diabetes: 13.0% (state: 8.5%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 28.6% (state: 18.9%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 25.7% (state: 15.7%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 33.7% (state: 31.8%)
> Media household income: $54,917 (state: $77,006)
West Virginia: Morgantown
> Adults who are obese: 40.6% (state: 39.7%)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.4% (state: 13.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 27.4% (state: 29.5%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 21.8% (state: 24.3%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 41.1% (state: 42.5%)
> Media household income: $53,681 (state: $48,037)
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Wisconsin: Sheboygan
> Adults who are obese: 37.0% (state: 34.3%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.8% (state: 7.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 24.2% (state: 22.3%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 14.0% (state: 15.0%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 34.1% (state: 32.7%)
> Media household income: $62,101 (state: $63,293)
Wyoming: Casper
> Adults who are obese: 31.1% (state: 29.6%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.9% (state: 6.8%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 26.0% (state: 24.0%)
> Adults who report poor or fair health: 15.8% (state: 15.7%)
> Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 33.7% (state: 33.8%)
> Media household income: $62,168 (state: $65,304)
Methodology
To determine the most obese city in every state, 24/7 Tempo analyzed county-level data from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program’s 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report . We aggregated county-level statistics to metropolitan statistical areas.
Adult obesity is defined in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System as having a body mass index of 30kg/m2 or greater for adults 20 years and over.
The percentage of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes came from the CHR.The share of adults who report fair or poor health, who report no physical activity on a regular basis, and who get less than seven hours of sleep on average came from the CHR. All CHR data is for the most recent year available.
The median annual household income listed for metro areas and states came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey and are five-year estimates.
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