10 Smokiest U.S. Cities—and 10 Most Smoke-Free, Too
Posted December 16, 2008
On the heels of Monday's Supreme Court decision that even "light" cigarettes pose severe health risks and that smokers can sue tobacco companies for advertising otherwise, U.S. News brings you a list of metropolitan areas where smoking rates remain high and another of cities where few people smoke.
Video: Smoking Cessation
If you're a nonsmoker living in a smoky city, you've got reason to be concerned about secondhand smoke. Maybe you can get your neighbors to quit by sharing 12 Reasons to Really Quit Smoking and these tips on how to quit.
| Smokiest Metro Areas | Smoking Rate* |
|---|---|
| 1. Huntington, W.Va. | 34.4 percent |
| 2. Kingsport-Bristol, Tenn. | 30.5 percent |
| 3. Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss. | 28.8 percent |
| 4. Greensboro, N.C. | 28.3 percent |
| 5. Mobile, Ala. | 26.9 percent |
| 6. Casper, Wyo. | 26.8 percent |
| 7. Chattanooga, Tenn. | 26.5 percent |
| 7. Wilmington, N.C. | 26.5 percent |
| 9. Tulsa, Okla. | 26.0 percent |
| 10. Hickory, N.C. | 25.9 percent |
*Percentage of residents who are smokers
| Most Smoke-Free Metro Areas | Nonsmoking Rate** |
|---|---|
| 1. Provo-Orem, Utah | 93.5 percent |
| 2. Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick, Md. | 89.5 percent |
| 3. Ogden, Utah | 89.4 percent |
| 4. Brownsville, Texas | 88.2 percent |
| 5. Durham, N.C. | 88.0 percent |
| 6. Idaho Falls, Idaho | 87.7 percent |
| 7. San Francisco | 87.5 percent |
| 8. Burlington, Vt. | 87.2 percent |
| 9. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Conn. | 86.9 percent |
| 10. Portland, Ore. | 86.5 percent |
**Percentage of residents who are nonsmokers
Source: CDC
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