In WalletHub’s annual analysis of U.S. cities’ health, Atlanta got healthier while Columbus and Augusta got unhealthier.
According to the financial website, location matters when it comes to health. Some cities promote access to nutritious food and recreational facilities, and others keep health care costs affordable.
To identify the healthiest U.S. cities, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across four key dimensions: health care, food, fitness and green space.
The financial website then evaluated the four dimensions using 43 relevant metrics, each graded on a 100 point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for a healthy lifestyle.
After the numbers were tallied, Atlanta climbed 11 spots, from No. 24 last year to No. 11 in this year’s analysis.
We finished No. 7 for fitness and No. 18 for food and No. 27 for green spaces, but No. 74 for health care. The city’s overall score rose from 56.23 in 2022 to 57.11 this year.
Georgia’s other two cities in the analysis did not fare as well. Columbus and Augusta each fell into the bottom five.
Columbus (No. 174 in 2022) fell to No. 179, with an overall score of 29.05 (33.97 last year). The Fountain City ranked No. 170 for fitness, 171 for green space, 175 for food and 182 — last place — for health care.
Augusta (No. 175 in 2022) fell to No. 178 this year, with an overall score of 30.20 (33.76 in 2022). The Garden City finished No. 167 for health care and food, 175 for fitness and, ironically, 181 for green space.
San Francisco again claimed the top spot, with an overall score of 67.07, and Seattle was once again No. 2, with an overall score of 65.22.
They were followed by Honolulu (62.23), Salt Lake City (61.96), and Portland, Oregon (61.09), to round out the top five.
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