Data / Rankings / Physical inactivity in adults / US states

US states by physical inactivity in adults

Kentucky had the highest physical inactivity in adults of 51 states in 2020, at 30.6%. Utah had the lowest, at 15.9%. The median was 22.4%. Source: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest30.6Kentucky
Lowest15.9Utah
Median22.451 states

Map of states, 2020

Alabama: 28.8 %Alaska: 21.3 %Arizona: 22.4 %Arkansas: 29.7 %California: 21.2 %Colorado: 16.6 %Connecticut: 20.6 %Delaware: 24.7 %District of Columbia: 18.1 %Florida: 26.8 %Georgia: 24.8 %Hawaii: 19.2 %Idaho: 20.5 %Illinois: 25.3 %Indiana: 26.3 %Iowa: 23.6 %Kansas: 22 %Kentucky: 30.6 %Louisiana: 29 %Maine: 21.5 %Maryland: 21 %Massachusetts: 19.9 %Michigan: 20.8 %Minnesota: 19.1 %Mississippi: 30 %Missouri: 25.7 %Montana: 18.9 %Nebraska: 21.5 %Nevada: 25.4 %New Hampshire: 19.3 %New Jersey: 21 %New Mexico: 23 %New York: 25.6 %North Carolina: 22.7 %North Dakota: 24.6 %Ohio: 24.5 %Oklahoma: 28.6 %Oregon: 18.5 %Pennsylvania: 24.5 %Rhode Island: 23.5 %South Carolina: 26.6 %South Dakota: 22.4 %Tennessee: 24.6 %Texas: 25.6 %Utah: 15.9 %Vermont: 18.2 %Virginia: 20.9 %Washington: 17.8 %West Virginia: 29.7 %Wisconsin: 20.5 %Wyoming: 22.4 %
  • Under 19
  • 19 to 21
  • 21 to 22
  • 22 to 25
  • 25 to 27
  • 27 and over
%, 2020. Source: CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), physical inactivity in adults, crude prevalence, overall. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2020

Kentucky: 30.6 %Kentucky30.6Mississippi: 30 %Mississippi30Arkansas: 29.7 %Arkansas29.7West Virginia: 29.7 %West Virginia29.7Louisiana: 29 %Louisiana29Alabama: 28.8 %Alabama28.8Oklahoma: 28.6 %Oklahoma28.6Florida: 26.8 %Florida26.8South Carolina: 26.6 %South Carolina26.6Indiana: 26.3 %Indiana26.3Missouri: 25.7 %Missouri25.7New York: 25.6 %New York25.6Texas: 25.6 %Texas25.6Nevada: 25.4 %Nevada25.4Illinois: 25.3 %Illinois25.3Georgia: 24.8 %Georgia24.8Delaware: 24.7 %Delaware24.7North Dakota: 24.6 %North Dakota24.6Tennessee: 24.6 %Tennessee24.6Ohio: 24.5 %Ohio24.5Pennsylvania: 24.5 %Pennsylvania24.5Iowa: 23.6 %Iowa23.6Rhode Island: 23.5 %Rhode Island23.5New Mexico: 23 %New Mexico23North Carolina: 22.7 %North Carolina22.7Arizona: 22.4 %Arizona22.4South Dakota: 22.4 %South Dakota22.4Wyoming: 22.4 %Wyoming22.4Kansas: 22 %Kansas22Maine: 21.5 %Maine21.5Nebraska: 21.5 %Nebraska21.5Alaska: 21.3 %Alaska21.3California: 21.2 %California21.2Maryland: 21 %Maryland21New Jersey: 21 %New Jersey21Virginia: 20.9 %Virginia20.9Michigan: 20.8 %Michigan20.8Connecticut: 20.6 %Connecticut20.6Idaho: 20.5 %Idaho20.5Wisconsin: 20.5 %Wisconsin20.5Massachusetts: 19.9 %Massachusetts19.9New Hampshire: 19.3 %New Hampshire19.3Hawaii: 19.2 %Hawaii19.2Minnesota: 19.1 %Minnesota19.1Montana: 18.9 %Montana18.9Oregon: 18.5 %Oregon18.5Vermont: 18.2 %Vermont18.2District of Columbia: 18.1 %District of Columbia18.1Washington: 17.8 %Washington17.8Colorado: 16.6 %Colorado16.6Utah: 15.9 %Utah15.9Kentucky: 30.6 %Kentucky30.6Mississippi: 30 %Mississippi30Arkansas: 29.7 %Arkansas29.7West Virginia: 29.7 %West Virginia29.7Louisiana: 29 %Louisiana29Alabama: 28.8 %Alabama28.8Oklahoma: 28.6 %Oklahoma28.6Florida: 26.8 %Florida26.8South Carolina: 26.6 %South Carolina26.6Indiana: 26.3 %Indiana26.3Missouri: 25.7 %Missouri25.7New York: 25.6 %New York25.6Texas: 25.6 %Texas25.6Nevada: 25.4 %Nevada25.4Illinois: 25.3 %Illinois25.3Georgia: 24.8 %Georgia24.8Delaware: 24.7 %Delaware24.7North Dakota: 24.6 %North Dakota24.6Tennessee: 24.6 %Tennessee24.6Ohio: 24.5 %Ohio24.5Pennsylvania: 24.5 %Pennsylvania24.5Iowa: 23.6 %Iowa23.6Rhode Island: 23.5 %Rhode Island23.5New Mexico: 23 %New Mexico23North Carolina: 22.7 %North Carolina22.7Arizona: 22.4 %Arizona22.4South Dakota: 22.4 %South Dakota22.4Wyoming: 22.4 %Wyoming22.4Kansas: 22 %Kansas22Maine: 21.5 %Maine21.5Nebraska: 21.5 %Nebraska21.5Alaska: 21.3 %Alaska21.3California: 21.2 %California21.2Maryland: 21 %Maryland21New Jersey: 21 %New Jersey21Virginia: 20.9 %Virginia20.9Michigan: 20.8 %Michigan20.8Connecticut: 20.6 %Connecticut20.6Idaho: 20.5 %Idaho20.5Wisconsin: 20.5 %Wisconsin20.5Massachusetts: 19.9 %Massachusetts19.9New Hampshire: 19.3 %New Hampshire19.3Hawaii: 19.2 %Hawaii19.2Minnesota: 19.1 %Minnesota19.1Montana: 18.9 %Montana18.9Oregon: 18.5 %Oregon18.5Vermont: 18.2 %Vermont18.2District of Columbia: 18.1 %District of Columbia18.1Washington: 17.8 %Washington17.8Colorado: 16.6 %Colorado16.6Utah: 15.9 %Utah15.9
%. Source: CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), physical inactivity in adults, crude prevalence, overall. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Kentucky30.6-2.2 pts
2Mississippi30-7.7 pts
3Arkansas29.7-1.5 pts
3West Virginia29.7-1.5 pts
5Louisiana29-2.9 pts
6Alabama28.8-2.7 pts
7Oklahoma28.6-5.4 pts
8Florida26.8+0.3 pts
9South Carolina26.6-2.2 pts
10Indiana26.3-4.6 pts
11Missouri25.7-4.9 pts
12New York25.6-1.6 pts
12Texas25.6-1.6 pts
14Nevada25.4-0.4 pts
15Illinois25.3-0.3 pts
16Georgia24.8-3.1 pts
17Delaware24.7-1.9 pts
18North Dakota24.6-3.4 pts
18Tennessee24.6-5.5 pts
20Ohio24.5-3.8 pts
20Pennsylvania24.5-1.1 pts
22Iowa23.6-2.9 pts
23Rhode Island23.5-3 pts
24New Mexico23-2.4 pts
25North Carolina22.7-3.6 pts
26Arizona22.4-1.7 pts
26South Dakota22.4-7.6 pts
26Wyoming22.4-2.2 pts
29Kansas22-5.1 pts
30Maine21.5-8.6 pts
30Nebraska21.5-5.4 pts
32Alaska21.3-0.4 pts
33California21.2-1.2 pts
34Maryland21-2.4 pts
34New Jersey21n/a
36Virginia20.9-4.4 pts
37Michigan20.8-4.6 pts
38Connecticut20.6-2.9 pts
39Idaho20.5-3.3 pts
39Wisconsin20.5-2.7 pts
41Massachusetts19.9-6.5 pts
42New Hampshire19.3-2.4 pts
43Hawaii19.2-5.2 pts
44Minnesota19.1-0.8 pts
45Montana18.9-0.8 pts
46Oregon18.5-5.4 pts
47Vermont18.2-1.8 pts
48District of Columbia18.1-0.9 pts
49Washington17.8-1.4 pts
50Colorado16.6-2.1 pts
51Utah15.9-2.6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Percentage of adults aged 18 and over who did no physical activity or exercise outside their regular job in the past month, such as running, golf, gardening or walking for exercise. Crude prevalence, not age-adjusted.

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a telephone survey of adults, crude prevalence. States and DC only: BRFSS publishes the median of the states rather than a national prevalence, so no national value is served. A state that did not meet BRFSS data standards in a year has no value, and CDC withholds estimates from fewer than 50 respondents or with a relative standard error above 0.3. The dataset also publishes 95% confidence intervals. The series starts in 2011, when BRFSS changed its weighting and added cell phones. BRFSS variable _TOTINDA, adults who answered no to any physical activity in the past month.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), physical inactivity in adults, crude prevalence, overall. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_TOTINDA%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP054%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27. Retrieved 2026-10-12. These data are available free from CDC. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), physical inactivity in adults, crude prevalence, overall (US states by physical inactivity in adults, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_TOTINDA%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP054%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27

MLA 9

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), physical inactivity in adults, crude prevalence, overall, US states by physical inactivity in adults, 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Sept. 2026, https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_TOTINDA%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP054%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-physical-inactivity-rate/us-states?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2026. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), physical inactivity in adults, crude prevalence, overall. US states by physical inactivity in adults, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_TOTINDA%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP054%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-physical-inactivity-rate/us-states?period=2020.

Harvard

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2026) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), physical inactivity in adults, crude prevalence, overall, US states by physical inactivity in adults, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_TOTINDA%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP054%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-physical-inactivity-rate/us-states?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{centers_us_states_by_physical_2020,
  author = {{Centers for Disease Control and Prevention}},
  title = {{Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), physical inactivity in adults, crude prevalence, overall: US states by physical inactivity in adults, 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_TOTINDA%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP054%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-physical-inactivity-rate/us-states?period=2020. Publisher attribution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), physical inactivity in adults, crude prevalence, overall. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?\%24order=\%3Aid\&\%24limit=50000\&\%24where=questionid+in+\%28\%27\_TOTINDA\%27\%29+AND+responseid+in+\%28\%27RESP054\%27\%29+AND+breakoutid\%3D\%27BO1\%27+AND+data\_value\_type\%3D\%27Crude+Prevalence\%27. Retrieved 2026-10-12. These data are available free from CDC. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
TI  - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), physical inactivity in adults, crude prevalence, overall: US states by physical inactivity in adults, 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/15
PB  - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_TOTINDA%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP054%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-physical-inactivity-rate/us-states?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-physical-inactivity-rate/us-states?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), physical inactivity in adults, crude prevalence, overall. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_TOTINDA%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP054%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27. Retrieved 2026-10-12. These data are available free from CDC. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank US states by physical inactivity in adults using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"adult_physical_inactivity_rate","level":"region","within":"United States","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=adult_physical_inactivity_rate&level=region&within=United%20States&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which state has the highest physical inactivity in adults?

Kentucky, with 30.6% in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which state has the lowest physical inactivity in adults?

Utah, with 15.9% in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), physical inactivity in adults, crude prevalence, overall. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings