As the old adage goes, health is wealth. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is critical in today’s high-stress era, and there are multiple factors that go into doing it.
Personal finance company WalletHub just released a new study ranking America’s healthiest and unhealthiest cities. A total of 180 cities were analyzed across 41 criteria related to food consumption, physical activity levels, health care access and more.
“Staying healthy is a personal responsibility, and everyone should strive to eat nutritious food, exercise regularly and look after their mental health,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “However, where people live can have a big influence on how successful they are at staying in good health, so the best cities are the ones that provide the greatest access to high-quality healthcare, green spaces, recreation centers, and healthy food.”
After the numbers were crunched, California stood out with the top two entries.
The 10 healthiest cities in America, per WalletHub
San Francisco, California
Why San Francisco?
One quick glance at the list tells you that according to WalletHub’s methods, the left side of the country is healthier than the right. The District is the only East Coast location listed.
As for San Francisco, it ranks first in food and green space along with 16th in fitness. Health-care wise, it’s solid (32nd) but not spectacular, but it shines in every other metric.
“San Francisco is the healthiest city in America, in part because it has the second-lowest share of obese adults in the country, at nearly 18% of the population,” WalletHub writes. “This is helped by the fact that San Francisco has the second-lowest share of people who eat less than one serving of fruits or vegetables per day, and 100% of the population lives reasonably close to a location where they can do some sort of physical activity.
“The Golden Gate City spends more per capita on parks and recreation than all major cities except one, allowing people to enjoy well-maintained nature and physical activity, and it’s also one of the most walkable and bikeable cities. Many people can get in their daily exercise on their way to and from work, local stores or restaurants.”
You can read the entire WalletHub study here.
This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on Mar 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.