Heart Friendly Cities Revealed

Heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women, may hit closer to home than many realize. The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement, through Sperling’s BestPlaces, conducted a study, revealing the nation’s top 10 most – and least – heart friendly cities for women.

Mega Metros Top Ten Heart Friendly Cities
Mega metros are those cities with population 1.5 million and greater

See the full list of Heart Friendly Cities - Mega Metros here. 

1. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI  
2. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
3. San Francisco-San Jose-Oakland, CA
4. Denver-Aurora, CO
5. Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH
6. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
7. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA
8. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
9. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA
10. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

Mega Metros Top Ten Least Heart Friendly Cities

10. Indianapolis, IN
9. Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH
8. Las Vegas-Paradise, NV
7. Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN
6. Columbus, OH
5. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
4. Pittsburgh, PA
3. Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI
2. St. Louis, MO-IL
1. Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro, TN

Mid-Sized Metros Top Five Heart Friendly Cities

See the full list of Heart Friendly Cities - Mid-Sized Metros here. 

1. Salt Lake City, UT
2. Honolulu, HI
3. Colorado Springs, CO
4. Rochester, NY
5. Albuquerque, NM

Mid-sized Metros Top Five Least Heart Friendly cities

5. Toledo, OH 
4. Louisville, KY-IN
3. Tulsa, OK
2. Lakeland, FL
1. Birmingham-Hoover, AL

Remaining Metros Top Five Heart Friendly Cities

See the full list of Heart Friendly Cities - Remaining Metros here.

1. Boulder, CO 
2. Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME
3. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
4. Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
5. Ann Arbor, MI

Remaining Metros Top Five Least Heart Friendly Cities

5. Florence, SC
4. Montgomery, AL
3. Anderson, SC
2. Terre Haute, IN
1. Spartanburg, SC

Regardless of where your city falls on the list, heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women in all 50 states. Living in a heart friendly city does not automatically make you heart healthy, and the reverse is also true.

Your heart is in your hands. Heart disease is largely preventable if you work to lower your risks by making changes to your everyday lifestyle. 

Start by downloading our new Go Red For Women Heart Style Guide. It's full of easy-to-use tips, recipes, risk factors, questions to ask your doctor, a free magazine subscription and more -- all  to help you live a heart healthy lifestyle. To get your free guide, register at Go Red For Women. You'll receive your guide through your confirmation email.

If you would like more information about this study, please view our press release, source data and methodology here.