Adult obesity statistics at a glance
Adult obesity rates in the supplied CDC map vary widely across the U.S., from the low 20s to the low 40s. That spread is the story: the same dataset shows a cluster of comparatively lower-prevalence places and a much larger group sitting in the mid-to-high 30s.
Table of contents
- Fast facts
- State-by-state adult obesity statistics
- What the distribution shows
- Lowest and highest prevalence
- Regional patterns in the dataset
- How to read these adult obesity statistics
Fast facts
- Lowest prevalence in the dataset: District of Columbia at 23.5% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map).
- Highest prevalence in the dataset: West Virginia at 41.2% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map).
- The gap between those two endpoints is 17.7 percentage points.
- Several states sit around the upper 30s, showing that adult obesity prevalence is not confined to a single region.
- The dataset includes all 50 states plus territories such as Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, which adds useful comparison points beyond the continental map.
Key takeaways
- The adult obesity statistics in this dataset do not form a narrow band.
- Instead, they span a broad range that makes it easy to separate lower-prevalence jurisdictions from a large middle group and a smaller high-prevalence tail.
- Many states land in the mid-30% range, which is the dataset’s busiest zone.
- Only a few places fall below 30%, and only a small number reach or exceed 40%.
State-by-state adult obesity statistics
A compact table makes the pattern easier to scan. The numbers below are the exact values from the CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map.
| Place | Adult obesity prevalence |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 23.5% |
| Colorado | 24.9% |
| Hawaii | 26.1% |
| Massachusetts | 27.4% |
| California | 27.7% |
| New York | 28.0% |
| Vermont | 28.8% |
| New Jersey | 28.9% |
| Connecticut | 29.4% |
| Florida | 30.1% |
| Utah | 30.2% |
| Montana | 30.5% |
| Washington | 30.6% |
| Nevada | 30.8% |
| Idaho | 31.0% |
| Rhode Island | 31.6% |
| Arizona | 31.9% |
| Virgin Islands | 32.1% |
| Maine | 32.6% |
| New Hampshire | 32.8% |
| Minnesota | 33.3% |
| Wyoming | 33.3% |
| Oregon | 33.6% |
| North Carolina | 34.0% |
| Maryland | 34.1% |
| Virginia | 34.3% |
| Texas | 34.4% |
| Georgia | 35.0% |
| Alaska | 35.2% |
| Missouri | 35.3% |
| New Mexico | 35.3% |
| Guam | 35.4% |
| Michigan | 35.4% |
| Delaware | 35.7% |
| Kansas | 35.9% |
| North Dakota | 35.6% |
| Illinois | 36.0% |
| Puerto Rico | 36.0% |
| South Carolina | 36.0% |
| South Dakota | 36.0% |
| Wisconsin | 35.9% |
| Ohio | 36.4% |
| Nebraska | 36.6% |
| Tennessee | 37.6% |
| Indiana | 37.8% |
| Iowa | 37.8% |
| Oklahoma | 38.7% |
| Alabama | 39.2% |
| Louisiana | 39.9% |
| Arkansas | 40.0% |
| Mississippi | 40.1% |
| West Virginia | 41.2% |
Biggest clusters
The table reveals a few clear groupings:
- Below 30%: District of Columbia, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, New York, Vermont, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
- 30% to 34.9%: Florida through Texas plus several Western and Northeastern states.
- 35% to 36.9%: A large middle band that includes Georgia, Alaska, Missouri, New Mexico, Guam, Michigan, Delaware, Kansas, Illinois, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Nebraska, and others.
- 37% and above: Tennessee, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia.
That structure matters because it shows how concentrated the dataset is around the mid-30s rather than around a single national benchmark.
What the distribution shows
These adult obesity statistics are most useful when you look at the spread instead of any single state in isolation.
At a glance
- The bottom of the range is anchored by District of Columbia at 23.5% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map).
- The top is anchored by West Virginia at 41.2% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map).
- A wide middle band dominates the dataset, especially from about 33% to 37%.
- The high end is not limited to one or two outliers; several places approach or pass 40%.
Why it matters
A broad spread suggests that adult obesity prevalence is not uniform across jurisdictions. For readers comparing geographies, this means the difference between a lower-prevalence place and a higher-prevalence place is large enough to change the overall picture dramatically.
For example:
- Colorado at 24.9% and West Virginia at 41.2% are separated by 16.3 percentage points.
- California at 27.7% and Mississippi at 40.1% are separated by 12.4 percentage points.
- New York at 28.0% and Alabama at 39.2% are separated by 11.2 percentage points.
Those are not tiny differences. They show that the dataset is separated into meaningfully different prevalence environments.
Lowest and highest prevalence
The extremes help define the dataset’s shape.
Lowest adult obesity prevalence values
The lowest values in the dataset are concentrated in a short list:
- District of Columbia - 23.5% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- Colorado - 24.9% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- Hawaii - 26.1% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- Massachusetts - 27.4% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- California - 27.7% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- New York - 28.0% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
These places are useful reference points because they sit clearly below the dense mid-30% cluster.
Highest adult obesity prevalence values
At the upper end, the dataset becomes tightly packed around the high 30s and low 40s:
- West Virginia - 41.2% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- Mississippi - 40.1% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- Arkansas - 40.0% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- Louisiana - 39.9% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- Alabama - 39.2% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- Oklahoma - 38.7% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
That top tier is notable because it contains several states, not just one isolated high value.
Fast comparison
| Segment | Places | Notable values |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest band | District of Columbia, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, New York | 23.5% to 28.0% |
| Middle band | Many states across every major region | Mostly 30% to 36% |
| Upper band | Tennessee, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, West Virginia | 37.6% to 41.2% |
This comparison makes the core message clear: the dataset is broad, but it is not evenly spread. The mid-30s dominate, and the low-20s and low-40s mark the boundaries.
Regional patterns in the dataset
The supplied numbers are state-level, but you can still spot rough regional tendencies.
Lower-prevalence jurisdictions
The lowest values include many places that are often grouped together in broad comparisons, such as Colorado, California, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Within the dataset, those values are mostly below 30%:
- Colorado - 24.9%
- Hawaii - 26.1%
- Massachusetts - 27.4%
- California - 27.7%
- New York - 28.0%
- Vermont - 28.8%
- New Jersey - 28.9%
- Connecticut - 29.4%
That is a tight cluster of comparatively lower values.
Mid-range prevalence
A much larger share of the dataset falls between 30% and 36%. That band includes Florida, Utah, Montana, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Rhode Island, Arizona, Maine, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Wyoming, Oregon, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Texas, Georgia, Alaska, Missouri, New Mexico, Guam, Michigan, Delaware, Kansas, North Dakota, Illinois, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Nebraska, and several others.
This is the most important takeaway for general readers: the typical value in this dataset is not near 25% and not near 41%. It sits somewhere in the middle, with many places packed into the mid-30s.
Higher-prevalence jurisdictions
The high end is a smaller but very visible cluster:
- Tennessee - 37.6%
- Indiana - 37.8%
- Iowa - 37.8%
- Oklahoma - 38.7%
- Alabama - 39.2%
- Louisiana - 39.9%
- Arkansas - 40.0%
- Mississippi - 40.1%
- West Virginia - 41.2%
These figures make the upper tail easy to identify. Once a place moves into the high 30s, it is very close to the highest values in the dataset.
How to read these adult obesity statistics
The CDC map figures are best read as a comparative snapshot, not as a one-number story. That means three things matter most when you use the data.
1. Compare against the cluster, not just the maximum
A place at 35.0% may seem moderate until you see how large the mid-30% band is. A place at 28.0% may seem low until you compare it with the full spread of the dataset.
Useful reference points from the data include:
- Under 30%: District of Columbia, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, New York, Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut
- Around 30% to 34%: Florida, Utah, Montana, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Rhode Island, Arizona, Maine, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Wyoming, Oregon, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Texas
- Around 35% to 36%: Georgia, Alaska, Missouri, New Mexico, Guam, Michigan, Delaware, Kansas, North Dakota, Illinois, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin
- 37% and above: Tennessee, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, West Virginia
2. Use the data to frame geography carefully
Because the supplied statistics include states, territories, and the District of Columbia, the dataset is broader than a simple state-only list. That makes it more valuable for broad comparison, but it also means you should avoid treating one place as representative of every neighboring place.
3. Read the spread as the main signal
The biggest story here is not the exact value for a single jurisdiction. It is the size of the gap between the low end, the middle, and the high end.
A few of the strongest spread indicators from the dataset are:
- 23.5% to 41.2% overall range (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- Mid-30s concentration across many states and territories
- Multiple entries at 40% or above at the high end
- A comparatively small group below 30% at the low end
That pattern gives adult obesity statistics a clear geographic dimension. If you are building a comparative article, a data brief, or a state-by-state reference page, the best use of the numbers is to show where each jurisdiction sits within the broader band rather than to isolate a single rank.
Stat snapshot
- Lowest: District of Columbia at 23.5% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- Highest: West Virginia at 41.2% (CDC 2011-2024 overall obesity prevalence map)
- Most common zone: mid-30% range across many states and territories
- Comparison gap: 17.7 percentage points between the lowest and highest values
Adult obesity statistics by practical comparison group
If you want a quick way to scan the dataset, group the values into bands.
- Sub-30% group: District of Columbia, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, New York, Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut
- 30% to 34.9% group: Florida, Utah, Montana, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Rhode Island, Arizona, Virgin Islands, Maine, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Wyoming, Oregon, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Texas
- 35% to 36.9% group: Georgia, Alaska, Missouri, New Mexico, Guam, Michigan, Delaware, Kansas, North Dakota, Illinois, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Nebraska
- 37% and above group: Tennessee, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, West Virginia
This grouping shows why the dataset feels so centered around the mid-to-high 30s. There are enough entries in that range to make it the dominant pattern, while the low-20s and low-40s act as clear edges.