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Adult Obesity Rate by State, 2011 to 2024

West Virginia had the highest adult obesity rate in 2024 at 41.4%, ahead of Mississippi at 40.4%. In 2011 no state reached 35%.

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What the data shows

  • In 2024, West Virginia ranks #1 with 41.4%, ahead of Mississippi (40.4%) and Louisiana (39.2%).
  • Back in 2011, Mississippi was #1 with 34.9%.
  • The top spot changed hands 6 times, first to Louisiana in 2012, most recently to West Virginia in 2021.
  • Biggest climber: West Virginia, from #3 in 2011 to #1 in 2024.

About this chart

West Virginia had the highest adult obesity rate in 2024 at 41.4%, up from 32.4% in 2011. The lead has changed hands often: Mississippi in 2011, Louisiana in 2012, a tie in 2013, Arkansas in 2014, and West Virginia and Mississippi trading places since. West Virginia has led from 2021 to 2024. Mississippi's 40.8% in 2019 was the first state rate above 40%, and only West Virginia and Mississippi were above 40% in 2024. Colorado was lowest in 2024 at 25.0%, followed by Hawaii and Massachusetts at 27.0%.

In 2011 the highest rate was Mississippi's 34.9%, and no state reached 35%. By 2024 nineteen states did. The data comes from the CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a telephone survey in which adults report their own height and weight; obesity is a BMI of 30 or higher. Tennessee has no 2024 estimate and Kentucky none for 2023. The 2025 release is left out because Mississippi, California and Nevada have no 2025 figure.

The data

Source: CDC, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (data.cdc.gov hn4x-zwk7), question 'Percent of adults aged 18 years and older who have obesity', stratification Total, one value per state-year; 12 states selected (highest in any year plus 2024 top).. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Self-reported height and weight from the BRFSS telephone survey (2011 is the start of the current weighting method, so earlier years are not comparable). 50 states only; DC and territories excluded. Tennessee has no 2024 estimate and Kentucky no 2023 estimate in the file (left blank). 2025 is in the dataset but Mississippi, California and Nevada have no 2025 estimate, so the 2025 ranking is incomplete and is left out.

Adult Obesity Rate by State, % of adults with obesity (BMI 30+), 2011-2024, 2011–2024
DateWest VirginiaMississippiLouisianaArkansasAlabamaKentuckyOklahomaTennesseeIndianaIowaKansasNorth Dakota
201132.4%34.9%33.4%30.9%32.0%30.4%31.1%29.2%30.8%29.0%29.6%27.8%
201233.8%34.6%34.7%34.5%33.0%31.3%32.2%31.1%31.4%30.4%29.8%29.7%
201335.1%35.1%33.1%34.6%32.4%33.2%32.5%33.7%31.8%31.3%30.0%31.0%
201435.7%35.5%34.9%35.9%33.5%31.6%33.0%31.2%32.7%30.9%31.3%32.2%
201535.6%35.6%36.2%34.5%35.6%34.6%33.9%33.8%31.3%32.1%34.2%31.0%
201637.7%37.3%35.5%35.7%35.7%34.2%32.8%34.8%32.5%32.0%31.2%31.9%
201738.1%37.3%36.2%35.0%36.3%34.3%36.5%32.8%33.6%36.4%32.4%33.2%
201839.5%39.5%36.8%37.1%36.2%36.6%34.8%34.4%34.1%35.3%34.4%35.1%
201939.7%40.8%35.9%37.4%36.1%36.5%36.8%36.5%35.3%33.9%35.2%34.8%
202039.1%39.7%38.1%36.4%39.0%36.6%36.4%35.6%36.8%36.5%35.3%33.1%
202140.6%39.1%38.6%38.7%39.9%40.3%39.4%35.0%36.3%36.4%36.0%35.2%
202241.0%39.5%40.1%37.4%38.3%37.7%40.0%38.9%37.7%37.4%35.7%35.4%
202341.2%40.1%39.9%40.0%39.2%37.5%38.7%37.6%37.8%37.8%35.9%35.6%
202441.4%40.4%39.2%38.9%38.9%37.2%36.8%38.4%36.6%37.6%36.8%

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Frequently asked questions

Which state has the highest obesity rate?

West Virginia, at 41.4% of adults in 2024, according to CDC survey data. Mississippi is second at 40.4%, then Louisiana at 39.2%.

Which state has the lowest obesity rate?

Colorado, at 25.0% in 2024, followed by Hawaii and Massachusetts at 27.0% each. These states are not on the chart, which shows 12 of the highest-rate states.

How is the obesity rate measured?

It is the percent of adults 18 and older with a body mass index of 30 or more, based on self-reported height and weight in the CDC's BRFSS telephone survey. Self-reported data can differ from measured data.

Where does this data come from?

CDC, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (data.cdc.gov hn4x-zwk7), question 'Percent of adults aged 18 years and older who have obesity', stratification Total, one value per state-year; 12 states selected (highest in any year plus 2024 top).. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Self-reported height and weight from the BRFSS telephone survey (2011 is the start of the current weighting method, so earlier years are not comparable). 50 states only; DC and territories excluded. Tennessee has no 2024 estimate and Kentucky no 2023 estimate in the file (left blank). 2025 is in the dataset but Mississippi, California and Nevada have no 2025 estimate, so the 2025 ranking is incomplete and is left out. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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