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The annual study ranks cities based on their commitment to health. That includes everything from the percentage of people who have gone to the gym in the past month to air quality. Arlington led in several categories, including the percent of people in excellent or good health (70%), the lowest number of stroke victims (0.4%), and the lowest percent of residents with diabetes (5%). The city was also above the average in nearly every category.
The remaining cities in the top 10 healthiest cities were Madison, Wisc., Minneapolis, Minn., Washington, D.C., Seattle, Irvine, Calif., Portland, Ore., St. Paul, Minn., Denver, and Chicago.
Click here to see the full list. Click here to see how Arlington fared in each category.
Virginia was well represented on the list with Richmond (36), Virginia Beach (43), Norfolk (47), and Chesapeake (87).
“Congratulations to those city leaders and planners who led efforts to develop parks and playgrounds, build bike paths and safe streets, and offer a built environment that encourages physical activity,” said Dr. Shantanu Agrawal, chief health officer of Elevance Health. “As we entered another year of the pandemic, health disparities in our communities continued to be an issue, which only encourages us to tackle health equity head-on. We were also faced with another year of loss, sickness, and isolation, resulting in the need for improved mental health. As we start to return to our previous routines, we need to underscore the significant mental and physical health benefits that exercise has in our lives.”
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