Fittest Cities, From Denver to Los Angeles

On Sunday, more than 45,000 spandex-clad, bib-wearing athletes will take to the streets of New York City to paticipate in the world’s largest marathon. A feat of fitness and endurance, the marathon is one of the most revered events in mainstream competitive sports today. Last year, some half a million runners crossed a marathon finish line.

But where are all these super-athletes living? To rank the fitness level of American cities, we turned to two of the most trusted sources on the topic. The American College of Sports Medicine’s American Fitness Index is produced annually with the WellPoint Foundation to scientifically assess the health, fitness, and quality of life of metro areas across the country. From its research, we included the percentage of residents who were physically active in the last month, the percentage who are considered to be in very good or excellent health, and the percentage who are categorized as obese. In addition, we considered where each city ranked on the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which analyzes the health of the American population in the categories of physical well-being and healthy behavior.

Each of the five factors was weighted equally.

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 83.3%

Obese: 18.8%

In excellent or very good health: 61.7%

Gallup physical well-being index rank (out of 188): 20

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank (out of 188): 40

Ed Andrieski / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 82.6%

Obese: 18.1%

In excellent or very good health: 59.5%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 33

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 14

Getty Images

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 81.6%

Obese: 21.4%

In excellent or very good health: 64.1%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 12

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 37

Paul J. Richards, AFP / Getty Images

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 85.9%

Obese: 23.8%

In excellent or very good health: 66.6%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 16

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 50

Jim Mone / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 80.2%

Obese: 21.1%

In excellent or very good health: 62%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 41

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 39

Corbis

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 81.5%

Obese: 20.8%

In excellent or very good health: 58.3%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 8

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 15

Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 79.3%

Obese: 21.6%

In excellent or very good health: 62.6%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 45

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 42

Jessica Hill / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 83.2%

Obese: 24%

In excellent or very good health: 62.1%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 94

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 55

Randy L. Rasmussen, The Oregonian / Landov

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 79.9%

Obese: 21.6%

In excellent or very good health: 58.4%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 19

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 17

Lenny Ignelzi / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 81.8%

Obese: 23.9%

In excellent or very good health: 57.6%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 76

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 32

Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 81.8%

Obese: 26.6%

In excellent or very good health: 59%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 13

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 46

Erich Schlegel / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 80.9%

Obese: 24.3%

In excellent or very good health: 60.2%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 53

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 95

Elise Amendola / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 81.5%

Obese: 25.9%

In excellent or very good health: 59.4%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 70

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 34

Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 81%

Obese: 24.1%

In excellent or very good health: 58.7%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 57

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 103

Gary C. Knapp

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 82.6%

Obese: 24.7%

In excellent or very good health: 55.8%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 47

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 72

Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 79.4%

Obese: 23.8%

In excellent or very good health: 55.6%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 77

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 41

Lynne Sladky / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 79.3%

Obese: 24.3%

In excellent or very good health: 58.9%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 91

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 117

Morry Gash / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 77.8%

Obese: 23.6%

In excellent or very good health: 48.8%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 40

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 22

Reed Saxon / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 75.7%

Obese: 24.8%

In excellent or very good health: 59.2%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 80

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 78

Stephan Savoia / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 77.8%

Obese: 25.1%

In excellent or very good health: 57%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 26

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 112

Richard Patterson, ING / PRNewsFoto

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 79%

Obese: 28.9%

In excellent or very good health: 61.6%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 38

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 133

Zach Gibson / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 75%

Obese: 25.2%

In excellent or very good health: 59.6%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 95

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 100

Toby Jorrin / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 78.6%

Obese: 26.4%

In excellent or very good health: 54.1%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 27

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 81

Gerry Broome / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 72.9%

Obese: 21.3%

In excellent or very good health: 54.1%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 48

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 59

Richard Drew / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 76%

Obese: 24.7%

In excellent or very good health: 56.6%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 114

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 79

Luis M. Alvarez / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 77.6%

Obese: 24.6%

In excellent or very good health: 54.6%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 55

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 142

LM Otero / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 77.8%

Obese: 26.3%

In excellent or very good health: 53.6%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 44

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 85

Chuck Burton

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 77.3%

Obese: 26.9%

In excellent or very good health: 59.3%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 62

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 156

Cliff Schiappa / AP Photo

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Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 75.7%

Obese: 28.3%

In excellent or very good health: 59.8%

Gallup physical well-being index rank: 43

Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 155

James A. Finley / AP Phot

Fittest Cities, From Denver to Los Angeles

From Denver to Los Angeles, The Daily Beast finds the cities with the leanest and most active residents.

Lauren Streib