WebMD Health News
Nov. 17, 2008 - Lincoln, Neb. is the healthiest city in the U.S., and Huntington, W.V. is the least healthy, 2007 CDC data reveal.
The CDC's city-by-city report is based on annual health surveys. Residents were asked to rate their health as excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor.
Topping the list was Lincoln, Neb., where 92.8% of residents say their health is good or better and only 7.2% report fair or poor health.
At the bottom of the list is Huntington, W.V., where only 68.8% of residents say they enjoy good or better health, and a whopping 31.2% report only fair or poor health.
Some news reports have put Burlington, Vt., at the top spot. Those reports are based on 2006 CDC data. In the most recent available data, from 2007, Burlington ranks fourth behind Lincoln, Fargo, N.D., and Boulder Colo., according to the CDC's Selected Metropolitan/Micropolitan Area Risk Trends (SMART) database.
Healthiest City -- City-by-City Rankings
The CDC tells WebMD it does not rank cities or states in terms of health. But here's how U.S. cities line up, based on the CDC's SMART database:
Cities are ranked from healthiest (Lincoln) to unhealthiest (Huntington). Cities are shown according to the metropolitan area to which they belong. Some metropolitan areas cross state lines.
Healthiest Cities:
1. Lincoln, NE Metropolitan Statistical Area
2. Fargo, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area
3. Boulder, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area
4. Burlington-South Burlington, VT Metropolitan Statistical Area
5. Ogden-Clearfield, UT Metropolitan Statistical Area
6. Provo-Orem, UT Metropolitan Statistical Area
7. Concord, NH Micropolitan Statistical Area
8. Sioux Falls, SD Metropolitan Statistical Area
9. Barre, VT Micropolitan Statistical Area
10. Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, MA Metropolitan Division
To view full list click here.