DC ranks high on list of healthiest cities across the country

D.C. is outpacing most other cities when it comes to healthy living.

A new WalletHub survey released Monday reviewed four key categories that promote wellness, including the quality of health care, food, fitness and the amount of green spaces.

And D.C. ranked No. 10 overall in WalletHub’s rankings.

Researchers discovered the District ranks high in three of those four categories. D.C. scored highest in the food category, meaning the District has many places — such as farmers markets — to buy a variety of fruits and vegetables.



Where the District needs to see improvement is the fitness category. The study discovered fewer adults work out in D.C. compared with other places. One reason might be the cost: It was among the cities with the highest average monthly cost for a fitness club membership.

San Francisco, Seattle and San Diego were the top ranked cities overall. Laredo, Texas; Gulfport, Mississippi; and Brownsville, Texas, were at the bottom, ranked Nos. 180 through 182, respectively.

Gigi Barnett

Gigi Barnett is an anchor at WTOP. She has worked in the media for more than 20 years. Before joining WTOP, she was an anchor at WJZ-TV in Baltimore, KXAN-TV in Austin, Texas, and a staff reporter at The Miami Herald. She’s a Navy wife and mom of three.

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