Kansas City barbecue. Maine lobster rolls. Key Lime pie made with fresh Florida citrus. A mountain of crispy fried beignets in Louisiana. Food is a way of life, and every state has its own signature dishes to be proud of. But while residents might argue over why their local flavors are the best, we can’t help but ponder the opposite: Which state has the worst food in America?
To find out, we at Best Life first measured three factors: the appeal and diversity of the restaurant scene; the sustainability and popularity of locally grown produce and meat; and the ease of accessing healthy, affordable food. For the first metric, we turned to travel experts Far and Wide, which ranked each state based on the quality, diversity, and appeal of local restaurants. Then, for the latter two metrics, we factored in Strolling of the Heifer’s most recent Locavore Index, which uses several stats to rank all 50 states based on their level of commitment to producing healthy, local food.
Finally, we used the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on adult obesity prevalence in each state. Obesity is often linked to wealth inequality and food insecurity, so a higher obesity rate means healthy food is less accessible or affordable. (The CDC did not have this data for New Jersey, so we used America's Health Rankings as the source in that one instance.) We then gave each metric a weighted value before running them through our exclusive algorithm to see how each state scored on our 100-point scale Food Fail Index.
Our results showed that food—as analyzed using the metrics outlined above—tended to be worse in certain parts of the South. Of the 10 states with the worst food, six were in the South, with three in the Midwest and one in the West. Interestingly enough, states known for their agricultural production didn’t necessarily rank as having good food. The states with the best food, on the other hand, tended to come from East and West Coast. Read on to find out where the worst food in America is, and how your state's cuisine ranks. And for more on another place that's known for its bad eating experiences, This Is the Most Hated Fast Food Chain in America.
50 | California
iStockRestaurant rank: 1
Local food and produce rank: 2
Adult residents who are obese: 26.2 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 0.00
49 | Hawaii
Steve Heap / ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 12
Local food and produce rank: 3
Adult residents who are obese: 25.0 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 7.05
48 | Washington
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 9
Local food and produce rank: 4
Adult residents who are obese: 28.3 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 13.46
47 | Oregon
Shutterstock/Jennifer BosvertRestaurant rank: 7
Local food and produce rank: 6
Adult residents who are obese: 29.0 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 15.18
46 | New York
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 2
Local food and produce rank: 18
Adult residents who are obese: 27.1 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 16.35
45 | New Jersey
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 8
Local food and produce rank:23
Adult residents who are obese: 25.6 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 21.83
44 | Vermont
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 28
Local food and produce rank: 1
Adult residents who are obese: 26.6 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 22.62
43 | Maine
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 10
Local food and produce rank: 5
Adult residents who are obese: 31.7 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 23.45
42 | Colorado
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 21
Local food and produce rank: 24
Adult residents who are obese: 23.8 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 29.08
And for the one soft drink that Americans tend to avoid, This Is the Most Unpopular Soda in America, According to Data
41 | Massachusetts
iStockRestaurant rank: 20
Local food and produce rank: 22
Adult residents who are obese: 25.2 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 30.01
40 | Pennsylvania
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 11
Local food and produce rank: 11
Adult residents who are obese: 33.2 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 32.94
39 | Connecticut
iStockRestaurant rank: 16
Local food and produce rank: 27
Adult residents who are obese: 29.1 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 40.39
38 | Illinois
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 5
Local food and produce rank: 34
Adult residents who are obese: 31.6 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 43.18
37 | Wisconsin
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 18
Local food and produce rank: 14
Adult residents who are obese: 26.2 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 43.71
36 | Minnesota
Joe Mamer Photography / AlamyRestaurant rank: 19
Local food and produce rank: 26
Adult residents who are obese: 30.1 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 44.50
35 | Idaho
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 40
Local food and produce rank: 7
Adult residents who are obese: 29.5 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 44.69
34 | North Carolina
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 13
Local food and produce rank: 21
Adult residents who are obese: 34.0 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 44.89
33 | Michigan
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 17
Local food and produce rank: 12
Adult residents who are obese: 36.0 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 45.62
32 | Maryland
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 15
Local food and produce rank: 25
Adult residents who are obese: 32.3 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 45.72
31 | New Mexico
iStockRestaurant rank: 34
Local food and produce rank: 8
Adult residents who are obese: 31.7 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 45.92
And for the another travel tip that will come in handy next time you are on the road, This Is the Most Unpopular Hotel Chain in America, According to Data
30 | Arizona
iStockRestaurant rank: 35
Local food and produce rank: 10
Adult residents who are obese: 31.4 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 47.68
29 | Wyoming
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 41
Local food and produce rank: 9
Adult residents who are obese: 29.7 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 47.68
28 | Georgia
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 24
Local food and produce rank:19
Adult residents who are obese: 33.1 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 50.18
27 | Virginia
iStockRestaurant rank: 30
Local food and produce rank: 20
Adult residents who are obese: 31.9 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 50.18
26 | Texas
iStockRestaurant rank: 4
Local food and produce rank: 42
Adult residents who are obese: 34.0 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 54.88
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25 | Delaware
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 32
Local food and produce rank: 13
Adult residents who are obese: 34.4 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 55.02
24 | New Hampshire
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 37
Local food and produce rank:16
Adult residents who are obese: 31.8 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 55.32
23 | Utah
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 47
Local food and produce rank: 15
Adult residents who are obese: 29.2 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 56.44
22 | Montana
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 38
Local food and produce rank: 28
Adult residents who are obese: 28.3 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 57.57
21 | South Carolina
Rob Hainer/ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 14
Local food and produce rank: 32
Adult residents who are obese: 35.4 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 58.30
20 | Louisiana
iStockRestaurant rank: 3
Local food and produce rank: 44
Adult residents who are obese: 35.9 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 60.36
19 | Rhode Island
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 33
Local food and produce rank: 33
Adult residents who are obese: 30.0 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 61.73
18 | Tennessee
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 6
Local food and produce rank: 41
Adult residents who are obese: 36.5 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 61.83
17 | Florida
iStockRestaurant rank: 46
Local food and produce rank: 31
Adult residents who are obese: 27.0 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 63.54
16 | Missouri
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 22
Local food and produce rank: 35
Adult residents who are obese: 34.8 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 65.99
15 | Indiana
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 27
Local food and produce rank: 29
Adult residents who are obese: 35.3 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 66.38
And for the most perilous places in the country, This Is the Most Dangerous State in America.
14 | Ohio
iStockRestaurant rank: 29
Local food and produce rank: 30
Adult residents who are obese: 34.8 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 67.65
13 | North Dakota
ShutterstockRestaurant rank:49
Local food and produce rank: 17
Adult residents who are obese: 34.8 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 73.48
12 | Kentucky
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 23
Local food and produce rank: 40
Adult residents who are obese: 36.5 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 75.14
11 | Nevada
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 39
Local food and produce rank: 47
Adult residents who are obese: 30.6 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 79.84
10 | Alaska
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 50
Local food and produce rank: 38
Adult residents who are obese: 30.5 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 81.26
9 | Iowa
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 42
Local food and produce rank: 36
Adult residents who are obese: 33.9 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 81.26
8 | Arkansas
iStockRestaurant rank: 31
Local food and produce rank: 39
Adult residents who are obese: 37.4 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 83.17
7 | Alabama
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 25
Local food and produce rank: 50
Adult residents who are obese: 36.1 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 84.15
6 | South Dakota
iStockRestaurant rank: 48
Local food and produce rank: 37
Adult residents who are obese: 33.0 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 84.88
5 | Nebraska
iStockRestaurant rank: 45
Local food and produce rank: 43
Adult residents who are obese: 34.1 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 90.07
4 | Mississippi
iStockRestaurant rank: 26
Local food and produce rank: 45
Adult residents who are obese: 40.8 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 92.32
3 | Kansas
iStockRestaurant rank: 44
Local food and produce rank: 48
Adult residents who are obese: 35.2 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 96.09
2 | West Virginia
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 36
Local food and produce rank: 46
Adult residents who are obese: 39.7 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 98.79
1 | Oklahoma
ShutterstockRestaurant rank: 43
Local food and produce rank: 49
Adult residents who are obese: 36.8 percent
Food Fail Index Score: 100.00
And for the place that's filled with unhealthy amounts of rage, check out This Is the Angriest State in America.
