West Virginia Is America’s Fattest State

More than one in three adults is obese in most U.S. states, according to the latest CDC data. In several Southern states, the rate now exceeds 40%.

This map, via Visual Capitalist’s Bruno Venditti, shows the percentage of adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher across all 50 states and U.S. territories.

The Highest Obesity Rates Are Concentrated in the South

West Virginia tops the list, with 41.4% of adults classified as obese. Mississippi follow at 40.4%, while Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee each report rates of roughly 39%.

Rank
State or Territory
Adult Obesity Rate (2024)
1
West Virginia
41.4%
2
Mississippi
40.4%
3
Guam
40.2%
4
Louisiana
39.2%
5
Tennessee*
38.9%
6
Alabama
38.9%
7
Arkansas
38.9%
8
Indiana
38.4%
9
Virgin Islands
37.7%
10
Kansas
37.6%
11
Nebraska
37.6%
12
Wisconsin
37.4%
13
Kentucky
37.2%
14
South Dakota
37.0%
15
Ohio
36.9%
16
North Dakota
36.8%
17
Oklahoma
36.8%
18
Delaware
36.6%
19
Iowa
36.6%
20
Puerto Rico
36.2%
21
Michigan
36.1%
22
Texas
35.6%
23
Georgia
35.4%
24
Missouri
34.6%
25
South Carolina
34.6%
26
New Mexico
34.5%
27
North Carolina
34.5%
28
Illinois
34.2%
29
Nevada
34.2%
30
Pennsylvania
34.2%
31
Alaska
34.0%
32
Oregon
33.5%
33
Arizona
33.3%
34
Maine
33.2%
35
Idaho
32.7%
36
Maryland
32.7%
37
Wyoming
32.5%
38
Minnesota
32.3%
39
Virginia
32.3%
40
Connecticut
32.0%
41
Washington
31.5%
42
New Hampshire
31.1%
43
Rhode Island
31.1%
44
Montana
31.0%
45
Utah
31.0%
46
Florida
29.6%
47
New York
29.5%
48
California
29.1%
49
Vermont
29.0%
50
New Jersey
27.7%
51
Hawaii
27.0%
52
Massachusetts
27.0%
53
District of Columbia
25.5%
54
Colorado
25.0%
—
🇺🇸 U.S. State and Territory Average
34.1%

*Note: Data for Tennessee is from 2022.

Much of the Southeast and parts of Appalachia cluster near the top of the rankings. These regions have historically faced higher poverty rates, limited healthcare access, and lower levels of physical activity. Diet patterns and food accessibility also play a role, particularly in rural communities.

The West and Northeast Report Lower Rates

Colorado stands out with the lowest adult obesity rate at 25%, followed by the District of Columbia at 25.5%. Hawaii and Massachusetts both come in at 27%, while New Jersey posts 27.7%.

Western states tend to report lower rates overall, with many in the low 30% range. Higher levels of outdoor recreation, urban density, and public health initiatives may contribute to these comparatively lower figures.

Nearly Every State Is Above 30%

A striking pattern emerges from the data: obesity is widespread across the country. Aside from a handful of states and jurisdictions, most report rates of 30% or higher.

Midwestern states such as Ohio (36.9%), Wisconsin (37.4%), and Indiana (38.4%) also report elevated rates.

Rising obesity rates are closely tied to increased healthcare costs and higher risks of conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

To learn more about healthcare, check out this graphic on America’s most common drugs.