Is it already time for those New Year’s resolutions to go by the wayside? According to a new study, Mississippi has a couple of the worst cities when it comes to residents keeping personal promises throughout the calendar year.
To find out where Americans have the best shot at maintaining their goals in 2026, WalletHub compared more than 180 cities based on 57 metrics that speak to conduciveness and self-improvement. The metrics range from exercise opportunities to income growth to employment outlook, and when you combine all the metrics, Gulfport and Jackson came in second-to-last and last on the list, respectively.
As for the cities where people have higher chances of maintaining New Year’s resolutions, the top five were Seattle, Washington; Scottsdale, Arizona; Irvine, California; Atlanta, Georgia; and Salt Lake City, Utah.
“Everyone has probably failed to keep a New Year’s resolution at one point, whether it’s losing weight, spending less money, quitting a vice or keeping up with a new hobby,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. “… Living in the right city can do wonders for resolutions, though. For example, cities with good access to healthy food and exercise opportunities can make it much easier for people to improve their health. Cities with strong economies and good job markets can expedite finding a better career or improving your income. Finding out what your city excels in can help you set an achievable goal.”
Jackson was ranked in the study for its continued rate of adults considered obese, ranking No. 182 of 182 of the cities analyzed. It came in at No. 180 for median credit card score and tied with St. Louis, Mo., at No. 180 for public school ratings. One silver lining within the study for the capital city is that it has the third-lowest prevalence of binge drinking in adults, meaning giving up alcohol could be one of the more achievable resolutions for Jacksonians.