Purpose: Evidence shows that region of country is a critical factor in understanding diabetes-related health disparities. The purpose of this study was to examine whether geographic location (southern states vs. other states) attenuate or strengthen the relationship between state diabetes rates and (a) race/ethnicity, (b) income, and (c) percentage of physical inactivity. Method: The state-level data was extracted from multiple public websites. Descriptive statistics and moderation analyses were conducted to test research questions. Results: Results revealed that the magnitudes of relationship between state diabetes rate and (a) income and (b) percentage of Black/African American were affected by geographic location (southern states vs other states). Conclusions: Given Southern states have substantial health disparities compared to non-Southern states, key stakeholders and the public health system should emphasize the importance of developing and evaluating effective public health policies based on income, physical activity, and race/ethnicity.