Cities with the highest rates of obesity

The U.S. has the highest rate of obesity in adults in the developed world, according to the Global Obesity Observatory. Still, obesity rates worldwide have increased over the past several decades, with the World Health Organization reporting most people live in countries where starvation and malnutrition kill fewer people than obesity.

A common, though decreasingly used, measure of obesity is body mass index. This calculation uses a person's height and weight to roughly indicate whether a person might be underweight, overweight, or at a generally healthy weight.

Stacker examined data from the CDC's annual PLACES report, released in July 2023, to see which cities had the highest share of obese adults. Cities with at least 10,000 residents are ranked by the share of respondents with a body mass index greater than or equal to 30, calculated from self-reported weight and height. In the event of a tie, the overall population was used.

It's vital to note that the BMI metric is so broad that many health experts discourage using BMI to indicate overall health. In June 2023, the American Medical Association announced a new policy that clarifies how BMI should be used after an AMA Council on Science and Public Health report highlighted BMI's limitations and historical issues. Solely using BMI to diagnose obesity and assess one's health doesn't consider variants like age, sex, gender, race, and ethnicity, with the AMA recommending clinicians use BMI alongside other measures. 

Weight is not necessarily a health issue on its own; problems arise when excess fat or weight, and the nutritional imbalances related to it, bring about diseases that can become chronic and even fatal. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute states that overweight and obese people are at higher risk of developing "heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the annual medical cost of treating obesity in the U.S. was nearly $173 billion in 2019. Not only can obese adults be burdened by medical bills, but they also may miss work more often due to health problems.

The connection between obesity, income, and educational level is considered "complex" by the CDC, as other variables, such as gender, race, and ethnicity, play a role in the statistics. However, the CDC reports overall, those with college degrees had lower obesity prevalence than people with less education.

Among U.S. states, obesity rates and poverty indexes also appear to be related. Most cities with high obesity rates rank low in average income and educational attainment—particularly those in lower-income areas of the South and Midwest.

#50. San Benito, Texas

- Total population: 24,250
- Share of adults with obesity: 47%

#49. Coffeyville, Kansas

- Total population: 10,297
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.1%

#48. Minden, Louisiana

- Total population: 13,084
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.1%

#47. Marietta, Ohio

- Total population: 14,085
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.1%

#46. Portsmouth, Virginia

- Total population: 95,535
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.1%

#45. Raymondville, Texas

- Total population: 11,284
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.2%

#44. Bastrop, Louisiana

- Total population: 11,365
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.3%

#43. Bogalusa, Louisiana

- Total population: 12,232
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.3%

#42. Selma, Alabama

- Total population: 20,756
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.3%

#41. Lima, Ohio

- Total population: 38,777
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.4%

#40. Donna, Texas

- Total population: 15,798
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.6%

#39. Dayton, Ohio

- Total population: 141,542
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.6%

#38. Hamilton, Ohio

- Total population: 62,371
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.7%

#37. Zanesville, Ohio

- Total population: 25,488
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.8%

#36. Warren, Ohio

- Total population: 41,592
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.8%

#35. Canton, Ohio

- Total population: 73,557
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.8%

#34. Ironton, Ohio

- Total population: 11,129
- Share of adults with obesity: 47.9%

#33. Hope, Arkansas

- Total population: 10,122
- Share of adults with obesity: 48%

#32. La Homa, Texas

- Total population: 11,909
- Share of adults with obesity: 48%

#31. Jennings, Missouri

- Total population: 14,710
- Share of adults with obesity: 48%

#30. Atmore, Alabama

- Total population: 10,194
- Share of adults with obesity: 48.1%

#29. Fairfield, Alabama

- Total population: 11,117
- Share of adults with obesity: 48.1%

#28. Ashtabula, Ohio

- Total population: 19,124
- Share of adults with obesity: 48.1%

#27. East Cleveland, Ohio

- Total population: 17,843
- Share of adults with obesity: 48.2%

#26. Greenwood, Mississippi

- Total population: 15,205
- Share of adults with obesity: 48.3%

#25. Muskegon, Michigan

- Total population: 38,406
- Share of adults with obesity: 48.4%

#24. McComb, Mississippi

- Total population: 12,786
- Share of adults with obesity: 48.5%

#23. Akron, Ohio

- Total population: 199,138
- Share of adults with obesity: 48.5%

#22. Marion, Ohio

- Total population: 36,837
- Share of adults with obesity: 48.6%

#21. Middletown, Ohio

- Total population: 48,694
- Share of adults with obesity: 48.6%

#20. York, Pennsylvania

- Total population: 43,718
- Share of adults with obesity: 49%

#19. East Liverpool, Ohio

- Total population: 11,300
- Share of adults with obesity: 49.3%

#18. Trotwood, Ohio

- Total population: 24,431
- Share of adults with obesity: 49.6%

#17. Highland Park, Michigan

- Total population: 11,776
- Share of adults with obesity: 49.7%

#16. Forrest City, Arkansas

- Total population: 15,382
- Share of adults with obesity: 49.7%

#15. East Chicago, Indiana

- Total population: 29,698
- Share of adults with obesity: 49.7%

#14. Youngstown, Ohio

- Total population: 66,982
- Share of adults with obesity: 49.7%

#13. Portsmouth, Ohio

- Total population: 20,226
- Share of adults with obesity: 50.3%

#12. Clarksdale, Mississippi

- Total population: 17,962
- Share of adults with obesity: 50.5%

#11. Prichard, Alabama

- Total population: 22,664
- Share of adults with obesity: 50.6%

#10. Indianola, Mississippi

- Total population: 10,683
- Share of adults with obesity: 50.9%

#9. Saginaw, Michigan

- Total population: 51,497
- Share of adults with obesity: 51.1%

#8. Benton Harbor, Michigan

- Total population: 10,168
- Share of adults with obesity: 51.6%

#7. Flint, Michigan

- Total population: 102,434
- Share of adults with obesity: 51.7%

#6. Cahokia, Illinois

- Total population: 15,243
- Share of adults with obesity: 51.9%

#5. Yazoo City, Mississippi

- Total population: 11,403
- Share of adults with obesity: 52.1%

#4. Gary, Indiana

- Total population: 80,294
- Share of adults with obesity: 52.3%

#3. Beecher, Michigan

- Total population: 10,232
- Share of adults with obesity: 53.8%

#2. Muskegon Heights, Michigan

- Total population: 10,857
- Share of adults with obesity: 55.5%

#1. East St. Louis, Illinois

- Total population: 27,005
- Share of adults with obesity: 57.9%

Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.