San Francisco is a city of vibrant culture and famous structures that has earned its reputation as the healthiest city.

To determine which city has the best health, researchers studied and compared 182 towns. In the overall health rankings, four cities closely followed San Francisco: Honolulu, Seattle, San Diego, and Washington D.C.

Since 2017, San Francisco has been at the top of its annual list. There were four criteria: healthcare, vegetable and fruit consumption, and residents’ gym attendance frequency.

At the time of this study, over 70 percent of U.S. adults were overweight and healthcare expenses were going up. Just 19 percent of the San Francisco population is overweight due to the walkable scenery.

Kyle Huang ’24 stated, “San Francisco has one of the lowest obesity rates because it has many hills and walkable environments. Plus, the cultural foods come from authentic areas.”

Researchers broke down healthcare into various components, including the number of mental health counselors, family physicians, hospital beds, and health inspections per restaurant. San Francisco’s deficiency in mental health counselor availability stood out, ranking it 73rd among other factors.

Lillian Mendiola ’24 said, “I think San Francisco’s lowest ranking is their mental health counselors due to the drug problem and the racial crisis, which are causing those to have mental issues.”

Cassandra Happe, a WalletHub analyst, stated, “San Francisco has the second-lowest share of people who eat less than one serving of fruits or vegetables per day, and 100 percent of the population lives reasonably close to a location where they can do some sort of physical activity.”

With a vibrant culture, iconic landmarks, and a commitment to well-being, San Francisco continues to work toward a healthier and better future.