The Worst Cities to Live in If You Want to Be Fit and Healthy
It's harder to stay active if you live in one of these U.S. cities, research shows.
It's no secret that being healthy and active is essential to living a long and happy life. Yet, many of us allow any number of obstacles to get in the way of maintaining our well-being. Whether it's work, family responsibilities, or simply a lack of motivation, there is no shortage of excuses as to why you don't always eat right or exercise as much as you should. And what makes matters worse are the additional barriers preventing you from achieving your fitness goals—like, as it turns out, where you live. Yes, the fact is, some places in the United States are just more conducive to getting fit than others.
In early 2020, personal finance site WalletHub analyzed data from the 100 largest U.S. cities to see which were better for people who wanted to live an active lifestyle. To determine their rankings, WalletHub incorporated 38 key indicators—ranging from average monthly fitness-club fee to the ratio of physically inactive adults. Then, they ranked each state on "budget and participation" and "sports and outdoors" to determine the final scores. Here are the 10 worst cities to live in if you want to be fit and healthy. And for more on how where you live affects your life, check out Here's How Long You're Likely to Live in Every State.
10
Stockton, California
Overall score: 29.75
Budget and participation rank: 80
Sports and outdoors rank: 90
And for the places where you're likely to enjoy your life, These Are the Happiest States in the U.S.
9
Wichita, Kansas
Overall score: 29.75
Budget and participation rank: 39
Sports and outdoors rank: 100
8
Garland, Texas
Overall score: 29.71
Budget and participation rank: 96
Sports and outdoors rank: 84
And for the riskiest places in the U.S. to live, check out The 100 Most Dangerous Cities in America.
7
San Bernardino, California
Overall score: 29.43
Budget and participation rank: 87
Sports and outdoors rank: 96
6
Irving, Texas
Overall score: 28.99
Budget and participation rank: 94
Sports and outdoors rank: 92
And for the regions of the country where people tend to lack motivation, check out These Are the Laziest States in the U.S.
5
Laredo, Texas
Overall score: 28.58
Budget and participation rank: 99
Sports and outdoors rank: 74
4
Arlington, Texas
Overall score: 28.38
Budget and participation rank: 95
Sports and outdoors rank: 93
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3
Bakersfield, California
Overall score: 27.63
Budget and participation rank: 88
Sports and outdoors rank: 97
2
Hialeah, Florida
Overall score: 25.86
Budget and participation rank: 97
Sports and outdoors rank: 98
1
North Las Vegas, Nevada
Overall score: 23.29
Budget and participation rank: 100
Sports and outdoors rank: 95
