Best & Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle

Adam McCann, Financial WriterJan 5, 2022

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
Jan 5, 2022

It’s easy to simply aspire to become the best and fittest versions of ourselves. Actually achieving that goal is much more difficult, and requires a consistently active lifestyle. The road to an active lifestyle can be filled with obstacles, sometimes because where we live may be failing to promote a healthy way of life. Some cities, for instance, lack sidewalks or neighborhood parks.

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that there are ways to stay active from home, though, including taking virtual fitness classes. As we begin a new year, it’s the perfect time to start, too. Two of Americans’ top four New Year’s resolutions are “exercising more” and “losing weight. At the same time, as many as 80% to 91% of people fail to keep their resolutions each year.

With New Year self-improvement in mind, WalletHub compared the 100 biggest U.S. cities based on 34 key indicators of an active lifestyle. Our data set ranges from the average monthly fitness-club fee to bike score to the share of physically inactive adults.

Table of Contents

Main Findings

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Best & Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle

Overall Rank	City	WalletHub’s Active Lifestyle Score	Budget & Participation	Sports & Outdoors
1	San Francisco, CA	63.59	21	2
2	Chicago, IL	62.75	7	4
3	New York, NY	62.54	26	3
4	San Diego, CA	62.11	2	5
5	Honolulu, HI	62.11	73	1
6	Los Angeles, CA	59.00	5	11
7	Portland, OR	58.60	9	8
8	Philadelphia, PA	58.55	13	6
9	Denver, CO	58.52	8	9
10	Seattle, WA	58.27	15	7
11	Las Vegas, NV	57.39	1	16
12	Madison, WI	57.09	23	10
13	Minneapolis, MN	54.50	46	12
14	Cincinnati, OH	54.28	16	18
15	Austin, TX	54.26	17	17
16	Irvine, CA	53.64	31	14
17	Tucson, AZ	52.78	29	19
18	Washington, DC	52.50	60	13
19	Houston, TX	52.23	4	27
20	San Jose, CA	51.91	20	21
21	San Antonio, TX	51.62	10	25
22	Sacramento, CA	51.61	43	20
23	Atlanta, GA	51.22	3	31
24	Orlando, FL	51.21	6	28
25	Tampa, FL	50.03	22	26
26	Omaha, NE	49.47	80	15
27	Albuquerque, NM	49.45	18	29
28	Boston, MA	49.28	47	22
29	Pittsburgh, PA	48.30	14	35
30	Phoenix, AZ	48.15	11	42
31	Reno, NV	47.65	19	40
32	St. Louis, MO	47.43	12	48
33	Milwaukee, WI	47.18	64	24
34	Miami, FL	47.07	36	33
35	Dallas, TX	47.06	24	43
36	Charlotte, NC	46.97	28	38
37	St. Paul, MN	46.79	77	23
38	Boise, ID	46.64	40	34
39	Scottsdale, AZ	46.37	34	41
40	Jacksonville, FL	46.18	33	44
41	Cleveland, OH	45.58	57	32
42	Henderson, NV	45.30	42	46
43	Plano, TX	45.21	70	30
44	Buffalo, NY	45.20	48	39
45	El Paso, TX	44.42	50	47
46	Long Beach, CA	44.35	30	53
47	Lincoln, NE	43.66	52	49
48	Colorado Springs, CO	43.18	51	52
49	Indianapolis, IN	43.18	35	56
50	Columbus, OH	42.92	58	50
51	Aurora, CO	42.44	85	37
52	Baltimore, MD	42.09	69	51
53	Virginia Beach, VA	41.85	32	63
54	Raleigh, NC	41.82	25	66
55	Nashville, TN	41.38	49	59
56	Oakland, CA	41.25	93	36
57	Louisville, KY	41.01	56	60
58	Glendale, AZ	40.25	45	65
59	Anaheim, CA	40.18	39	70
60	Fremont, CA	39.54	59	64
61	New Orleans, LA	39.40	84	55
62	St. Petersburg, FL	39.32	79	61
63	Anchorage, AK	39.15	89	54
64	Fort Worth, TX	38.96	37	75
65	Chesapeake, VA	38.71	83	58
66	Chandler, AZ	38.47	38	78
67	Lubbock, TX	38.29	44	76
68	Mesa, AZ	38.28	27	86
69	Laredo, TX	38.05	98	45
70	Tulsa, OK	37.99	76	68
71	Stockton, CA	37.95	55	73
72	Norfolk, VA	37.57	94	57
73	Kansas City, MO	37.01	88	62
74	Greensboro, NC	36.58	65	77
75	Oklahoma City, OK	36.32	66	79
76	Lexington-Fayette, KY	35.94	71	81
77	Detroit, MI	35.91	91	67
78	Chula Vista, CA	35.90	75	80
79	Garland, TX	35.35	87	71
80	Durham, NC	35.31	72	84
81	Birmingham, AL	35.00	74	88
82	Fresno, CA	34.93	54	89
83	Toledo, OH	34.66	81	82
84	Baton Rouge, LA	34.40	90	74
85	Corpus Christi, TX	34.30	63	90
86	Gilbert, AZ	34.06	41	96
87	Hialeah, FL	34.02	92	72
88	Arlington, TX	33.99	62	93
89	Memphis, TN	33.76	67	92
90	Riverside, CA	33.16	78	91
91	Jersey City, NJ	32.74	99	69
92	Bakersfield, CA	32.51	53	97
93	Newark, NJ	32.37	95	85
94	Santa Ana, CA	31.99	97	87
95	San Bernardino, CA	31.82	96	83
96	Irving, TX	31.52	82	94
97	Fort Wayne, IN	31.07	68	99
98	Wichita, KS	30.46	61	100
99	Winston-Salem, NC	28.95	86	98
100	North Las Vegas, NV	26.83	100	95

Note: With the exception of “WalletHub’s Active Lifestyle Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

artwork 2022 best and worst cities for an active lifestyle recovered

Ask the Experts

Maintaining an active lifestyle not only improves quality of life, but it can also help prevent certain illnesses and cut down on medical costs. Promoting healthy choices, however, requires a group effort. We asked a panel of experts to share their advice on introducing positive changes both at home and at the policy level. Click on the experts’ profiles to read their bios and responses to the following key questions:

How can local communities encourage and facilitate active lifestyles among residents?
Does the presence of professional sports teams in a city encourage residents to be more active? Should cities subsidize professional sports franchises through tax incentives and facilities?
How can we increase access to and use of gyms and recreational facilities? Would incentives, such as tax deductions for gym memberships or penalties such as higher health care premiums, be more effective?
What tips do you have for someone looking to maintain an active lifestyle on a budget?
How can parents encourage children to be active in order to combat obesity?

Ask the Experts

Joseph E. Donnelly
Ed.D. – Professor, Internal Medicine; Director, Energy Balance Laboratory; Director, Center for Physical Activity & Weight Management – The University of Kansas
Read More

Sandy Bargainnier
EdD, CHES, NBC-HWC – Professor of Health Promotion and Wellness; Program Coordinator: Integrative Professional Studies – State University of New York at Oswego
Read More

Herman Pontzer
Associate Professor, Evolutionary Anthropology – Duke University
Read More

Anna M. Gorczyca
Ph.D., MS – Assistant Research Professor, Division of Physical Activity and Weight Management, Department of Internal Medicine – University of Kansas Medical Center
Read More

Kelley Pettee Gabriel
Ph.D., MS, FACSM, FAHA – Professor, Epidemiology, School of Public Health; Senior Scientist, Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC), Nutrition Sciences Research – University of Alabama at Birmingham
Read More

Abbi Lane-Cordova
Assistant Professor, Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health – University of South Carolina
Read More

More Experts

Methodology

In order to determine the best cities for an active lifestyle, WalletHub compared the 100 most populated U.S. cities across two key dimensions, “Budget & Participation” and “Sports & Outdoors.”

We evaluated those dimensions using 34 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for a physically active population. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its Active Lifestyle Score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. In determining our sample, we considered only the city proper in each case, excluding cities in the surrounding metro area.

Budget & Participation – Total Points: 30

Average Monthly Fitness-Club Fee: Double Weight (~6.00 Points)
Average Cost of Sports Apparel: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
Note: This metric considers the average price of a pair of running shoes as a proxy for the cost of sports apparel.
Average Bowling Cost: Half Weight (~1.50 Points)
Average Cost of Tennis-Court Rent: Half Weight (~1.50 Points)
Note: “Average Cost” is for one hour of rent during the weekend.
Sporting-Goods Stores per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
Sports Clubs per Capita*: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
Share of Physically Inactive Adults: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
Share of Workers Aged 16 and Over Who Bike or Walk to Work: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
Google Search Interest for “At Home Workouts”: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
Note: This metric measures the real intent of the population to find information about the following search terms: “Hiit workout,” “Workout at home,” “Ab workouts at home,” “Chest workout at home,” “Leg workouts at home,” “Bodyweight workout,” “Cardio workout at home”. “Real intent” is measured using the average monthly search volumes for those specific terms.
Google Search Interest for “At Home Sports Equipment”: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
Note: This metric measures the real intent of the population to find information about the following search terms: “Dumbbells”, “Resistance bands”, “NordicTrack treadmill”, “Peloton”, “Kettlebell”, “Barbell”, “Home gym,” “Home gym equipment,” “Home workout equipment”. “Real intent” is measured using the average monthly search volumes for those specific terms.

Sports & Outdoors – Total Points: 70

Basketball Hoops per Capita*: Double Weight (~4.59 Points)
Baseball & Softball Diamonds per Capita*: Double Weight (~4.59 Points)
Soccer Fields per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Swimming Pools per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Tennis Courts per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Volleyball Nets per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Public and Municipal Golf Courses per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Ice-Skating Rinks per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Skateboard Parks per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Dance Studios with Virtual Classes per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Bike Score: Double Weight (~4.59 Points)
Bike-Rental Facilities per Capita*: Half Weight (~1.15 Points)
Presence of Bike-Sharing Programs: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Fitness Centers with Virtual Classes per Capita*: Double Weight (~4.59 Points)
Fitness Trainers & Aerobics Instructors per Capita: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Playgrounds per Capita*: Double Weight (~4.59 Points)
Parkland Acres per Capita: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Walk Score: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Hiking Trails per Capita*: Double Weight (~4.59 Points)
Proximity to Major Lake/Ocean: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Access to Exercise Opportunities: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Note: Access to Exercise Opportunities measures the percentage of individuals in a county who live reasonably close to a location for physical activity. Locations for physical activity are defined as parks or recreational facilities. Individuals are considered to have access to exercise opportunities if they:
Percentage of Residents Who Are Fully Vaccinated: Double Weight (~4.59 Points)
Weather: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking.
Air Quality: Full Weight (~2.30 Points)

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Council for Community and Economic Research, United States Environmental Protection Agency, County Health Rankings, Numbeo, Trust for Public Land, Yelp, Walk Score, CycleHop, GolfLink, Google Ads, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and WalletHub research.

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