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More than 90 million American adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity is a risk factor for such conditions as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes and is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
Obesity rates have been on the rise in the United States for years, and they tend to be higher in some states than in others. In eight states — most of which are in the South — more than one in every three adults are obese. Still, in every state, there is at least one county where adults are more likely to maintain a healthy weight than the typical American adult.
Using data from the CDC, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the share of obese adults — defined as having a body mass index of at least 30.0 — to indentify the least obese county in every state.
Adult obesity has a wide range of causes and is usually the product of a combination of factors, including genetic predisposition and the effects of certain medication, as well as dietary patterns and physical activity. In addition to a healthy, well-balanced diet, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recommends 2.5 hours of moderate activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, in addition to two days of strength training per week in order to help maintain a healthy weight.
The appropriate amount of exercise may vary from person to person, however, and those who do not want to sacrifice rich, high-calorie foods may need to exercise considerably more. This is how long you need to exercise to burn off the calories from your favorite foods.
One of the strongest predictors of the likelihood of obesity, and healthy outcomes in general, is income. Wealthier Americans can afford a wider range of healthy options related to diet and lifestyle, and as a result they typically report better than average health outcomes. In fact, the majority of counties on this list have a higher median household income than their home state overall. Here is a list of the richest county in every state.
Click here to see the least obese county in every state.
Click here to see our methodology.
1. Alabama: Dekalb County
> Obesity rate: 29.1% (state: 35.5%)
> Adults who are physically active: 69.5% (state: 71.8%)
> Median household income: $38,842 (state: $46,472)
> Largest place in county: Fort Payne
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2. Alaska: Denali Borough
> Obesity rate: 24.7% (state: 32.3%)
> Adults who are physically active: 84.8% (state: 81.2%)
> Median household income: $83,295 (state: $76,114)
> Largest place in borough: Healy
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3. Arizona: Yavapai County
> Obesity rate: 23.0% (state: 27.7%)
> Adults who are physically active: 78.8% (state: 79.8%)
> Median household income: $48,259 (state: $53,510)
> Largest place in county: Prescott Valley
4. Arkansas: Carroll County
> Obesity rate: 27.0% (state: 34.3%)
> Adults who are physically active: 68.4% (state: 68.8%)
> Median household income: $39,686 (state: $43,813)
> Largest place in county: Berryville
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5. California: Marin County
> Obesity rate: 15.7% (state: 23.6%)
> Adults who are physically active: 88.0% (state: 82.6%)
> Median household income: $104,703 (state: $67,169)
> Largest place in county: San Rafael
6. Colorado: Eagle County
> Obesity rate: 12.7% (state: 21.8%)
> Adults who are physically active: 90.7% (state: 86.0%)
> Median household income: $83,803 (state: $65,458)
> Largest place in county: Edwards
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7. Connecticut: Fairfield County
> Obesity rate: 20.8% (state: 25.4%)
> Adults who are physically active: 82.7% (state: 80.7%)
> Median household income: $89,773 (state: $73,781)
> Largest place in county: Bridgeport
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8. Delaware: New Castle County
> Obesity rate: 28.3% (state: 30.5%)
> Adults who are physically active: 76.8% (state: 74.6%)
> Median household income: $68,336 (state: $63,036)
> Largest place in county: Wilmington
9. Florida: Martin County
> Obesity rate: 19.2% (state: 26.6%)
> Adults who are physically active: 78.5% (state: 75.3%)
> Median household income: $55,588 (state: $50,883)
> Largest place in county: Palm City
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10. Georgia: Haralson County
> Obesity rate: 22.4% (state: 31.9%)
> Adults who are physically active: 74.7% (state: 75.7%)
> Median household income: $43,663 (state: $52,977)
> Largest place in county: Bremen
11. Hawaii: Kauai County
> Obesity rate: 21.5% (state: 24.0%)
> Adults who are physically active: 82.2% (state: 80.2%)
> Median household income: $72,330 (state: $74,923)
> Largest place in county: Kapaa
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12. Idaho: Blaine County
> Obesity rate: 14.6% (state: 29.3%)
> Adults who are physically active: 88.0% (state: 81.0%)
> Median household income: $58,835 (state: $50,985)
> Largest place in county: Hailey
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13. Illinois: Gallatin County
> Obesity rate: 22.0% (state: 29.4%)
> Adults who are physically active: 78.0% (state: 78.5%)
> Median household income: $42,450 (state: $61,229)
> Largest place in county: Shawneetown
14. Indiana: Union County
> Obesity rate: 23.3% (state: 33.3%)
> Adults who are physically active: 69.5% (state: 74.9%)
> Median household income: $45,531 (state: $52,182)
> Largest place in county: Liberty
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15. Iowa: Davis County
> Obesity rate: 24.6% (state: 33.2%)
> Adults who are physically active: 77.2% (state: 77.0%)
> Median household income: $52,390 (state: $56,570)
> Largest place in county: Bloomfield
16. Kansas: Sheridan County
> Obesity rate: 22.4% (state: 33.4%)
> Adults who are physically active: 76.5% (state: 76.5%)
> Median household income: $56,607 (state: $55,477)
> Largest place in county: Hoxie
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17. Kentucky: Oldham County
> Obesity rate: 20.8% (state: 33.7%)
> Adults who are physically active: 79.2% (state: 72.6%)
> Median household income: $92,237 (state: $46,535)
> Largest place in county: La Grange
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18. Louisiana: West Feliciana Parish
> Obesity rate: 21.1% (state: 35.4%)
> Adults who are physically active: 73.6% (state: 71.5%)
> Median household income: $55,647 (state: $46,710)
> Largest place in parish: St. Francisville
19. Maine: Cumberland County
> Obesity rate: 22.8% (state: 29.7%)
> Adults who are physically active: 84.7% (state: 79.8%)
> Median household income: $65,702 (state: $53,024)
> Largest place in county: Portland
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20. Maryland: Montgomery County
> Obesity rate: 20.8% (state: 30.7%)
> Adults who are physically active: 84.8% (state: 79.0%)
> Median household income: $103,178 (state: $78,916)
> Largest place in county: Silver Spring
21. Massachusetts: Hampshire County
> Obesity rate: 20.1% (state: 24.5%)
> Adults who are physically active: 84.2% (state: 80.1%)
> Median household income: $64,974 (state: $74,167)
> Largest place in county: Northampton
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22. Michigan: Dickinson County
> Obesity rate: 23.4% (state: 31.9%)
> Adults who are physically active: 80.5% (state: 77.7%)
> Median household income: $45,681 (state: $52,668)
> Largest place in county: Iron Mountain
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23. Minnesota: Cook County
> Obesity rate: 20.7% (state: 27.7%)
> Adults who are physically active: 81.9% (state: 81.5%)
> Median household income: $51,903 (state: $65,699)
> Largest place in county: Grand Marais
24. Mississippi: Issaquena County
> Obesity rate: 26.9% (state: 36.8%)
> Adults who are physically active: 67.7% (state: 68.7%)
> Median household income: $25,609 (state: $42,009)
> Largest place in county: Mayersville
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25. Missouri: Dent County
> Obesity rate: 21.0% (state: 32.0%)
> Adults who are physically active: 71.9% (state: 75.0%)
> Median household income: $38,829 (state: $51,542)
> Largest place in county: Salem
26. Montana: Gallatin County
> Obesity rate: 17.1% (state: 25.7%)
> Adults who are physically active: 88.4% (state: 80.4%)
> Median household income: $59,397 (state: $50,801)
> Largest place in county: Bozeman
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27. Nebraska: Sioux County
> Obesity rate: 22.3% (state: 32.2%)
> Adults who are physically active: 71.8% (state: 78.0%)
> Median household income: $45,375 (state: $56,675)
> Largest place in county: Harrison
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28. Nevada: Eureka County
> Obesity rate: 21.3% (state: 25.6%)
> Adults who are physically active: 79.5% (state: 78.3%)
> Median household income: $67,159 (state: $55,434)
> Largest place in county: N/A
29. New Hampshire: Grafton County
> Obesity rate: 23.3% (state: 27.5%)
> Adults who are physically active: 80.6% (state: 80.0%)
> Median household income: $61,036 (state: $71,305)
> Largest place in county: Lebanon
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30. New Jersey: Hunterdon County
> Obesity rate: 19.4% (state: 26.0%)
> Adults who are physically active: 82.1% (state: 76.4%)
> Median household income: $110,969 (state: $76,475)
> Largest place in county: Flemington
31. New Mexico: Santa Fe County
> Obesity rate: 14.2% (state: 26.8%)
> Adults who are physically active: 89.4% (state: 81.8%)
> Median household income: $57,945 (state: $46,718)
> Largest place in county: Santa Fe
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32. New York: New York County
> Obesity rate: 14.7% (state: 25.4%)
> Adults who are physically active: 82.3% (state: 75.5%)
> Median household income: $79,781 (state: $62,765)
> Largest place in county: New York
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33. North Carolina: Watauga County
> Obesity rate: 17.0% (state: 31.4%)
> Adults who are physically active: 82.1% (state: 77.0%)
> Median household income: $41,541 (state: $50,320)
> Largest place in county: Boone
34. North Dakota: Bowman County
> Obesity rate: 22.4% (state: 32.8%)
> Adults who are physically active: 73.7% (state: 78.4%)
> Median household income: $65,435 (state: $61,285)
> Largest place in county: Bowman
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35. Ohio: Geauga County
> Obesity rate: 23.8% (state: 32.1%)
> Adults who are physically active: 75.3% (state: 75.4%)
> Median household income: $77,104 (state: $52,407)
> Largest place in county: Chardon
36. Oklahoma: Harper County
> Obesity rate: 25.5% (state: 33.7%)
> Adults who are physically active: 72.5% (state: 71.6%)
> Median household income: $46,915 (state: $49,767)
> Largest place in county: Laverne
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37. Oregon: Deschutes County
> Obesity rate: 22.7% (state: 28.9%)
> Adults who are physically active: 87.1% (state: 84.8%)
> Median household income: $59,152 (state: $56,119)
> Largest place in county: Bend
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38. Pennsylvania: Chester County
> Obesity rate: 21.8% (state: 30.1%)
> Adults who are physically active: 83.9% (state: 77.6%)
> Median household income: $92,417 (state: $56,951)
> Largest place in county: West Chester
39. Rhode Island: Bristol County
> Obesity rate: 22.5% (state: 27.8%)
> Adults who are physically active: 81.4% (state: 76.6%)
> Median household income: $74,630 (state: $61,043)
> Largest place in county: Bristol
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40. South Carolina: Beaufort County
> Obesity rate: 24.1% (state: 33.0%)
> Adults who are physically active: 83.9% (state: 75.3%)
> Median household income: $60,603 (state: $48,781)
> Largest place in county: Hilton Head Island
41. South Dakota: Jerauld County
> Obesity rate: 21.8% (state: 31.8%)
> Adults who are physically active: 77.0% (state: 80.1%)
> Median household income: $49,882 (state: $54,126)
> Largest place in county: Wessington Springs
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42. Tennessee: Williamson County
> Obesity rate: 20.7% (state: 33.2%)
> Adults who are physically active: 80.3% (state: 73.3%)
> Median household income: $103,543 (state: $48,708)
> Largest place in county: Franklin
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43. Texas: Fayette County
> Obesity rate: 20.5% (state: 30.1%)
> Adults who are physically active: 77.0% (state: 77.2%)
> Median household income: $56,941 (state: $57,051)
> Largest place in county: La Grange
44. Utah: Summit County
> Obesity rate: 13.8% (state: 26.2%)
> Adults who are physically active: 89.2% (state: 83.9%)
> Median household income: $94,952 (state: $65,325)
> Largest place in county: Park City
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45. Vermont: Chittenden County
> Obesity rate: 20.8% (state: 26.2%)
> Adults who are physically active: 86.1% (state: 81.4%)
> Median household income: $66,906 (state: $57,808)
> Largest place in county: Burlington
46. Virginia: Arlington County
> Obesity rate: 20.0% (state: 29.6%)
> Adults who are physically active: 85.1% (state: 78.4%)
> Median household income: $112,138 (state: $68,766)
> Largest place in county: Arlington
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47. Washington: San Juan County
> Obesity rate: 17.0% (state: 27.8%)
> Adults who are physically active: 86.4% (state: 83.6%)
> Median household income: $60,271 (state: $66,174)
> Largest place in county: Friday Harbor
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48. West Virginia: Monongalia County
> Obesity rate: 30.1% (state: 36.9%)
> Adults who are physically active: 79.5% (state: 72.2%)
> Median household income: $49,624 (state: $44,061)
> Largest place in county: Morgantown
49. Wisconsin: Dane County
> Obesity rate: 22.5% (state: 31.1%)
> Adults who are physically active: 85.4% (state: 80.5%)
> Median household income: $67,631 (state: $56,759)
> Largest place in county: Madison
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50. Wyoming: Teton County
> Obesity rate: 12.3% (state: 29.0%)
> Adults who are physically active: 88.0% (state: 76.9%)
> Median household income: $80,049 (state: $60,938)
> Largest place in county: Jackson
Methodology
To identify the least obese county in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed county- and state-level data on the percentage of the 2016 adult population struggling with obesity from the Centers for Disease Control and prevention’s United States Diabetes Surveillance System (USDSS). Obesity is defined by the CDC as having a body mass index (BMI) of at least 30.
Other health measures, such as the percentage of the population that is uninsured, the premature mortality rate, and the percent of the population that reports having no leisure time activity, are at the county and state level and came from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR), a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program. All CHR data is for the most recent period available. Total population, median household income, poverty rate, and educational attainment are from the American Community Survey 2017 5-Year Estimates. We only considered counties with at least 1,000 residents.
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