The City of San Antonio has been awarded an overall gold medal by CityHealth, an initiative of de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente. Recognized for implementing policies that enhance the health and wellbeing of residents, the city stands out as one of seven across the nation and the sole recipient in the State of Texas to achieve this distinction. Other cities receiving an overall gold medal include Boston, Denver, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Portland, and St. Louis.

CityHealth annually assesses major cities, awarding gold, silver, bronze, or no medals across various policy areas aimed at improving quality of life, addressing health disparities, and promoting healthy choices. San Antonio secured an overall gold recognition by earning at least five gold medals across 12 individual policy areas identified by CityHealth.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg expressed, “Health policy is not stagnant. Community health requires a comprehensive approach, and CityHealth continues to push the envelope to ensure that we’re helping communities thrive in healthy and safe spaces. We are truly honored to receive this recognition.”

In 2023, San Antonio earned five gold medals and one bronze across categories such as Affordable Housing Trusts, Greenspace, Healthy Food Purchasing, High-quality, Accessible Pre-K, Smoke Free Indoor Air, and Eco-friendly Purchasing.

City Manager Erik Walsh commended the city's efforts, stating, “I’m extremely proud of Metro Health and the entire City organization. This national recognition is a validation of our ongoing commitment to making San Antonio a healthier place to live.”

Dr. Claude A. Jacob, Director of the City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, expressed gratitude for the national recognition and highlighted the city's commitment to using the evaluation as a guide for further improvements in health policies. The assessment also celebrates the resilience and dedication of the Metro Health team amid ongoing disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

While San Antonio has previously received both gold and bronze overall medals from CityHealth, this year’s recognition follows collaborative efforts by Metro Health’s Community Nutrition team and the City of San Antonio’s Finance Department to review and improve policies based on the 2022 assessment results.

In its latest report, CityHealth rated 46 of America’s largest cities. The full report can be found in CityHealth’s website.