Recent public health crises, namely the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid epidemic, have overshadowed a longer-standing problem in the United States — obesity. Since the early 1960s, the share of American adults under age 75 who are considered obese more than tripled. Currently, an estimated 72.2 million Americans age 20 and up are obese, or 30% of the age group.
Obesity status is determined by body mass index, or BMI — a ratio of height to body weight. Americans with a BMI of 30 or higher are considered obese, and as such, at greater risk of several serious diseases and conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These include diabetes, stroke, hypertension, heart disease, breathing problems, and certain cancers. Obesity can also detract from overall quality of life and contribute to depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.
While the U.S. has one of the highest obesity rates in the world, there are parts of the country where obesity remains relatively uncommon. Using data from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 24/7 Tempo identified the least obese county in every state. We included all counties and county equivalents, including independent cities, in our analysis.
Though many factors, including genetics, diet, and medical conditions, contribute to increased risk of obesity, according to the CDC, regular physical activity is one of the best ways to help maintain a healthy weight. In all but a handful of counties on this list, the share of adults who do not exercise regularly is below the corresponding share across the state as a whole. Here is a look at the most physically active cities in America.
By some measures, health outcomes are better than average in most of these countries as well. For example, obesity is a leading risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, and in nearly all of the counties on this list, diabetes is less common than it is statewide.
Click here to see the least obese county in every state
Click here to see our detailed methodology
Source: Rex_Wholster / Getty Images
Alabama: Baldwin County
> Adult obesity rate: 30.0% (Alabama: 36.1%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 24.7% (Alabama: 29.3%)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.3% (Alabama: 14.5%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.5% (Alabama: 21.4%)
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Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area
> Adult obesity rate: 23.1% (Alaska: 31.9%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 26.7% (Alaska: 19.3%)
> Adults with diabetes: 4.6% (Alaska: 8.3%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 41.9% (Alaska: 15.6%)
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Arizona: Yavapai County
> Adult obesity rate: 24.3% (Arizona: 27.9%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 22.5% (Arizona: 21.2%)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.9% (Arizona: 9.6%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.7% (Arizona: 18.6%)
Source: Brandonrush, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Arkansas: Montgomery County
> Adult obesity rate: 23.7% (Arkansas: 35.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 26.9% (Arkansas: 30.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.8% (Arkansas: 13.5%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 25.8% (Arkansas: 23.3%)
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California: Mariposa County
> Adult obesity rate: 15.6% (California: 24.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 17.9% (California: 17.7%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.2% (California: 8.8%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.1% (California: 17.6%)
Source: Donyanedomam / iStock via Getty Images
Colorado: Gunnison County
> Adult obesity rate: 14.2% (Colorado: 22.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 12.0% (Colorado: 14.8%)
> Adults with diabetes: 3.1% (Colorado: 6.6%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.3% (Colorado: 13.8%)
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Connecticut: Fairfield County
> Adult obesity rate: 21.2% (Connecticut: 26.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 17.3% (Connecticut: 19.9%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.3% (Connecticut: 9.2%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 11.9% (Connecticut: 13.0%)
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Source: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D. / Wikimedia Commons
Delaware: New Castle County
> Adult obesity rate: 30.2% (Delaware: 32.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 24.7% (Delaware: 27.3%)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.6% (Delaware: 11.8%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.6% (Delaware: 16.3%)
Source: Stephen B Calvert Clariosophic / Wikimedia Commons
Florida: Martin County
> Adult obesity rate: 19.9% (Florida: 27.2%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 22.5% (Florida: 25.8%)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.2% (Florida: 10.8%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.2% (Florida: 19.5%)
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Georgia: Taliaferro County
> Adult obesity rate: 12.5% (Georgia: 32.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 27.3% (Georgia: 26.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 13.0% (Georgia: 12.0%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 29.2% (Georgia: 18.4%)
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Hawaii: Kauai County
> Adult obesity rate: 23.6% (Hawaii: 24.6%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 18.3% (Hawaii: 19.6%)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.2% (Hawaii: 11.1%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.7% (Hawaii: 15.4%)
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Idaho: Blaine County
> Adult obesity rate: 16.5% (Idaho: 29.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 14.2% (Idaho: 20.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 5.9% (Idaho: 9.3%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.1% (Idaho: 15.1%)
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Illinois: Alexander County
> Adult obesity rate: 17.9% (Illinois: 29.7%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 18.5% (Illinois: 21.6%)
> Adults with diabetes: 5.3% (Illinois: 9.9%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 26.0% (Illinois: 15.9%)
Indiana: Monroe County
> Adult obesity rate: 25.2% (Indiana: 33.9%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 20.8% (Indiana: 26.7%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.3% (Indiana: 12.1%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.3% (Indiana: 18.2%)
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Iowa: Dickinson County
> Adult obesity rate: 26.0% (Iowa: 34.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 22.4% (Iowa: 22.6%)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.2% (Iowa: 9.9%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.0% (Iowa: 13.5%)
Source: Smallbones, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Kansas: Rawlins County
> Adult obesity rate: 21.2% (Kansas: 33.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 21.9% (Kansas: 23.9%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.0% (Kansas: 10.5%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.5% (Kansas: 16.3%)
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Kentucky: Oldham County
> Adult obesity rate: 22.7% (Kentucky: 34.6%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 19.3% (Kentucky: 28.7%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.8% (Kentucky: 12.7%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.8% (Kentucky: 21.8%)
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Louisiana: St. Helena Parish
> Adult obesity rate: 26.3% (Louisiana: 36.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 36.4% (Louisiana: 28.0%)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.3% (Louisiana: 13.0%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 28.2% (Louisiana: 21.4%)
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Maine: Cumberland County
> Adult obesity rate: 23.3% (Maine: 29.8%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 15.1% (Maine: 20.8%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.3% (Maine: 10.4%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 11.7% (Maine: 17.1%)
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Maryland: Montgomery County
> Adult obesity rate: 21.9% (Maryland: 31.6%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 15.9% (Maryland: 21.9%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.2% (Maryland: 11.1%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.3% (Maryland: 15.2%)
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Massachusetts: Suffolk County
> Adult obesity rate: 21.4% (Massachusetts: 25.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 18.8% (Massachusetts: 20.0%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.9% (Massachusetts: 8.7%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.8% (Massachusetts: 13.5%)
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Michigan: Dickinson County
> Adult obesity rate: 22.9% (Michigan: 32.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 18.0% (Michigan: 23.1%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.9% (Michigan: 11.0%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.0% (Michigan: 18.3%)
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Minnesota: Hennepin County
> Adult obesity rate: 22.9% (Minnesota: 29.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 15.9% (Minnesota: 19.6%)
> Adults with diabetes: 6.7% (Minnesota: 8.5%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 11.4% (Minnesota: 12.9%)
Source: Roger Smith / Flickr
Mississippi: Issaquena County
> Adult obesity rate: 21.7% (Mississippi: 39.1%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 19.2% (Mississippi: 30.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.0% (Mississippi: 14.6%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 37.4% (Mississippi: 22.1%)
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Missouri: Montgomery County
> Adult obesity rate: 18.7% (Missouri: 32.5%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 26.1% (Missouri: 25.5%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.3% (Missouri: 11.4%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.9% (Missouri: 19.5%)
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Montana: Gallatin County
> Adult obesity rate: 19.1% (Montana: 27.1%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 12.8% (Montana: 21.7%)
> Adults with diabetes: 5.1% (Montana: 8.9%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 11.3% (Montana: 14.1%)
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Nebraska: Sioux County
> Adult obesity rate: 21.4% (Nebraska: 33.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 30.4% (Nebraska: 22.7%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.6% (Nebraska: 10.0%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.9% (Nebraska: 13.8%)
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Nevada: Washoe County
> Adult obesity rate: 23.7% (Nevada: 27.1%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 17.8% (Nevada: 22.5%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.9% (Nevada: 10.5%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.1% (Nevada: 19.1%)
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New Hampshire: Grafton County
> Adult obesity rate: 24.7% (New Hampshire: 28.6%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 18.7% (New Hampshire: 20.8%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.7% (New Hampshire: 9.6%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.1% (New Hampshire: 12.8%)
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New Jersey: Bergen County
> Adult obesity rate: 22.0% (New Jersey: 27.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 24.4% (New Jersey: 26.6%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.7% (New Jersey: 9.9%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.9% (New Jersey: 15.5%)
New Mexico: Santa Fe County
> Adult obesity rate: 16.1% (New Mexico: 27.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 12.7% (New Mexico: 19.0%)
> Adults with diabetes: 6.1% (New Mexico: 9.5%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.8% (New Mexico: 20.3%)
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New York: New York County
> Adult obesity rate: 15.6% (New York: 26.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 16.8% (New York: 23.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 6.8% (New York: 10.1%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.6% (New York: 16.3%)
Source: G Keith Hall, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
North Carolina: Watauga County
> Adult obesity rate: 20.8% (North Carolina: 32.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 16.9% (North Carolina: 23.3%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.7% (North Carolina: 11.5%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.7% (North Carolina: 18.0%)
Source: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis), CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
North Dakota: Bowman County
> Adult obesity rate: 22.6% (North Dakota: 33.9%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 35.0% (North Dakota: 23.1%)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.8% (North Dakota: 9.4%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.3% (North Dakota: 13.6%)
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Ohio: Geauga County
> Adult obesity rate: 25.7% (Ohio: 33.5%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 17.1% (Ohio: 26.1%)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.1% (Ohio: 12.2%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.7% (Ohio: 17.8%)
Source: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Oklahoma: Harper County
> Adult obesity rate: 24.2% (Oklahoma: 34.5%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 27.5% (Oklahoma: 27.8%)
> Adults with diabetes: 5.6% (Oklahoma: 12.3%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.9% (Oklahoma: 20.9%)
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Oregon: Benton County
> Adult obesity rate: 21.6% (Oregon: 29.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 13.9% (Oregon: 17.3%)
> Adults with diabetes: 5.7% (Oregon: 9.7%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.1% (Oregon: 18.2%)
Source: Robert Kirk / Getty Images
Pennsylvania: Chester County
> Adult obesity rate: 22.1% (Pennsylvania: 30.8%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 14.1% (Pennsylvania: 22.0%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.9% (Pennsylvania: 11.0%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.9% (Pennsylvania: 17.6%)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Rhode Island: Bristol County
> Adult obesity rate: 22.9% (Rhode Island: 28.5%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 19.0% (Rhode Island: 23.5%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.8% (Rhode Island: 10.1%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.5% (Rhode Island: 16.5%)
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South Carolina: Beaufort County
> Adult obesity rate: 25.0% (South Carolina: 34.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 17.0% (South Carolina: 26.0%)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.3% (South Carolina: 13.3%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.4% (South Carolina: 17.8%)
Source: Courtesy of History of Highmore - Hyde County, South Dakota
South Dakota: Hyde County
> Adult obesity rate: 22.1% (South Dakota: 32.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 21.4% (South Dakota: 22.0%)
> Adults with diabetes: 6.4% (South Dakota: 10.1%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.0% (South Dakota: 13.4%)
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Tennessee: Williamson County
> Adult obesity rate: 22.5% (Tennessee: 33.3%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 17.6% (Tennessee: 27.2%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.8% (Tennessee: 12.5%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.2% (Tennessee: 21.2%)
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
Texas: Dickens County
> Adult obesity rate: 17.8% (Texas: 31.4%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 18.6% (Texas: 23.2%)
> Adults with diabetes: 6.5% (Texas: 10.2%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 24.5% (Texas: 18.7%)
Source: J. Stephen Conn / Flickr
Utah: Summit County
> Adult obesity rate: 14.5% (Utah: 27.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 12.2% (Utah: 16.7%)
> Adults with diabetes: 4.8% (Utah: 7.5%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 10.9% (Utah: 14.8%)
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Vermont: Washington County
> Adult obesity rate: 22.2% (Vermont: 27.0%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 15.9% (Vermont: 18.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.9% (Vermont: 8.8%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.4% (Vermont: 12.8%)
Source: benedek / Getty Images
Virginia: Arlington County
> Adult obesity rate: 18.6% (Virginia: 30.5%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 12.2% (Virginia: 22.2%)
> Adults with diabetes: 5.1% (Virginia: 10.7%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 11.2% (Virginia: 16.6%)
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Source: Michael Feist / Wikimedia Commons
Washington: San Juan County
> Adult obesity rate: 20.1% (Washington: 28.6%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 14.1% (Washington: 16.4%)
> Adults with diabetes: 6.1% (Washington: 9.3%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.0% (Washington: 15.0%)
Source: WVhybrid at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
West Virginia: Tucker County
> Adult obesity rate: 29.1% (West Virginia: 37.8%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 20.5% (West Virginia: 28.0%)
> Adults with diabetes: 19.2% (West Virginia: 15.1%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.6% (West Virginia: 23.6%)
Wisconsin: Dane County
> Adult obesity rate: 23.2% (Wisconsin: 31.7%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 13.7% (Wisconsin: 20.3%)
> Adults with diabetes: 5.8% (Wisconsin: 9.5%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.1% (Wisconsin: 14.8%)
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Wyoming: Teton County
> Adult obesity rate: 11.0% (Wyoming: 29.2%)
> Adults who don’t exercise: 10.8% (Wyoming: 23.1%)
> Adults with diabetes: 2.4% (Wyoming: 9.0%)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 11.4% (Wyoming: 15.3%)
Methodology
To determine the least obese county in every state, 24/7 Tempo reviewed adult obesity rates from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program’s 2021 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report.
The adult obesity rate is defined as the share of adults 20 years and older who report a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher. While the CHR report is from 2021, obesity rate figures published in the report are from 2017.
Of the 3,220 counties or county equivalents, 3,141 had boundaries that fell within one of the 50 states, while the rest were in the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico.
Counties with a 2019 five-year population estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau of less than 1,000 were excluded.
The remaining 3,105 places were ranked within their state based on the adult obesity rate. Additional information on the share of adults who report no leisure-time physical activity, the share of adults diagnosed with diabetes, and the share of adults who report fair or poor health are also from the 2021 CHR.
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