SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2024 Scottsdale among nation’s healthiest cities
Study ranks it in top 10, No. 1 in fitness category
Scottsdale cracked the list of the top 10 healthiest cities in the nation, according to a recent study.
The popular Arizona city was named the ninth healthiest city in the United States in a recent WalletHub ranking that ranked 182 cities based on 41 key indicators of good health, including the cost of a medical visit, consumption of healthy foods and the share of physically active adults.
The study shows a correlation between an area’s population health levels and its resource availability. Cities with more access to green areas, quality health care, nutritious foods, recreation centers and better air quality show significantly higher rates of good health, according to WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe.
“Staying healthy is a personal responsibility . ... However, where people live can have a big influence on how successful they are at staying in good health,” Happe said.
Cities that do not prioritize residents’ access to these resources showed lower health rates, according to WalletHub.
The study calculated a score for each city based on four categories: healthcare, food, fitness and green space. Then, analysts calculated an overall score based on cities’ ranking in the four dimensions.
Here’s which United States cities made the list and why.
Why Scottsdale made the list
Scottsdale ranked 19th in the health care category, 65th for healthy food and 13th for green spaces. However, it was likely the number of people who engage in physical activity that pushed the city into the top 10 — Scottsdale ranked first among all U.S. cities in the fitness category, according to WalletHub.
Peter A. Muening, a professor at Columbia University’s Department of Health Policy and Management, said exercise is among the main factors to consider when choosing a city that is good for your health.
“The main factors are clean air, opportunities for exercise, and the availability of healthy foods,” Muening said. “You need a place to exercise, and you need access to fruits and vegetables. (A) factor that is overlooked here is that there should be a local culture of exercising and eating fruits and vegetables.”
Other Arizona cities were scattered across the list in different spots.
The next highest-scoring city was Phoenix, with an overall rank of 44, followed by Tempe, which obtained the 47th spot. Tucson and Chandler scored a little lower, ranking 80th and 95th, respectively.
Four more Arizona cities were below the 100th spot on the list. Mesa ranked 106th, Glendale ranked 117th, Peoria ranked 119th and Gilbert ranked 121st. |
These are the top 10 healthiest cities in the U.S., according to WalletHub. San Francisco
Honolulu, Hawaii
Seattle
San Diego
Washington D.C
Portland, Oregon
Denver
Salt Lake City, Utah Scottsdale
Irvine, California
These are the 10 cities with the lowest health levels in the U.S., according to WalletHub.
Brownsville, Texas Gulfport, Mississippi
Laredo, Texas
Columbus, Georgia Shreveport, Louisiana Augusta, Georgia Fayetteville, North Carolina Corpus Christi, Texas
Detroit
Huntington, West Virginia