By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach

If you're interested in traveling or moving to a healthy place, check out the best cities for an active lifestyle. For the study, conducted by WalletHub, over 100 U.S. cities were ranked based on 35 key indicators of an active lifestyle, with factors such as the amount of physically active adults, average fitness club fees, and more. You can check out how your city ranks on the map below. The rankings were based on two main categories - budget and participation (costs and accessibility of physical activities and amount of people who participate) and Sports and Outdoors (available sports and activities).

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Cities with the Most Physically Active Adults

A significant element of the study is participation, measured by the percentage of physically active adults in each city. According to the stats, the cities with the highest percentage of active adults are Seattle, Washington; Scottsdale, Arizona; Fremont, California; Portland, Oregon; Denver, Colorado; and Irvine, California. These cities all have ample natural beauty and places to exercise outdoors as well as accessible fitness centers and gyms and a culture of physical activity.

Best Cities for an Active Lifestyle

1. Honolulu, Hawaii

With endless natural beauty including beaches, mountains, and lush tropical forests, Honolulu is a prime place for outdoor activities. With a warm climate and active population, Honolulu takes the top spot for the best cities for an active lifestyle.

2. New York, New York

New York City may not have the lowest cost for fitness classes but the city does have an active population and endless opportunities to walk, bike, skate, and run in the many outdoor parks, paths, and city streets. According to WalletHub, New York has the most playgrounds (per square root of population), 0.671157, which is 13.5 times more than in Gilbert, Arizona, the city with the fewest at 0.049749. Check out the 25 Best Places to Run in NYC for places to get moving in the city.

3. Chicago, Illinois

The Windy City offers plenty of ways to practice healthy habits and enjoy an active lifestyle, with miles of pedestrian trails and paths, including the 18.5-mile Chicago Lakefront Trail along Lake Michigan.

4. San Francisco, California

The Golden Gate City has an inviting, mild climate year-round, plenty of fitness classes and gyms, and extensive places to enjoy staying active in nature, including beaches, mountains, forests, and hills.

5. San Diego, California

San Diego is a beautiful city with plenty of outdoor activities and a warm climate that makes it easy to get outside. The city has a highly active population so you will have plenty of company when keeping up an active lifestyle.

6. Las Vegas, Nevada

Sin City may not pop up as the healthiest place in most people’s minds, but the desert city has incredible hiking trails within close proximity to the city, as well as a hot and dry climate and a vibrant local fitness scene. Check out my article on the Best Places to Run in Las Vegas for scenic trail runs and the best mural routes in the city.

7. Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati comes in number six on the list of the best cities for an active lifestyle. The city has plenty of outdoor spaces and fitness options, with Smale Riverfront Park, Riverwalk, and Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden offering great places to get outside and stay active.

8. Madison, Wisconsin

Madison is a budget-friendly healthy city that offers ample opportunities to stay active. You can walk, run, bike, ski, swim, and more in the ample outdoor spaces in Cincy.

9. Denver, Colorado

Denver, Colorado is consistently ranked as a healthy place to live. The Mile High City is a bike-friendly place with stunning mountain views and year-round outdoor activities to enjoy, including biking, walking, running, hiking, skiing, rock climbing, and more.

10. Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is one of the best cities for an active lifestyle. With a mild climate, affordable fitness classes, and the extensive Atlanta BeltLine trail connecting much of the city with a pedestrian trail, Atlanta is a great place to stay active.

Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle

According to WalletHub’s rankings of 100 cities in the U.S., these are the worst cities for an active lifestyle:

North Las Vegas, Nevada
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Gilbert, Arizona
Irving, Texas
Corpus Christi, Texas
Aurora, Colorado
Hileah, Florida
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Greensboro, North Carolina
Fresno, California
Durham, North Carolina

Living an Active Life on a Budget

The rankings were based on the accessibility and affordability of fitness and activities in each of 100 cities for the WalletHub report. Whether you live in one of the cities on this list or not, here are some tips to help you keep your daily activity level up while on a budget:

Walk, bike, or run to do errands. This is a great way to boost your activity level when you’re busy.
Take breaks to move every two hours. Whether you work from home or sit in an office all day, it’s important to stay active by taking time to walk, stretch, or do a few bodyweight exercises by your desk. One of our Runstreet Wolf Pack members often gets in his push-ups and planks under his desk at work.
Do home workouts. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to go to gyms or fitness classes when you can work out at home. Try bodyweight exercises or some weightlifting with dumbbells and you can get in a full-body workout for great strength training benefits.
Run and walk more. I know I may be biased as a running coach, but running is a great way to get in a cardio workout without spending any money (besides on running shoes). If walking is more your speed, check out these 15 Benefits of Walking to motivate you to move more.
Measure your daily step count. Use a free fitness tracking app or GPS watch and check in on your daily step count. As a trainer, I recognize that everyone has different fitness levels so I recommend that clients work on boosting their daily steps until they eventually reach a level of around 10,000 steps a day.

Do you live in one of the best cities for an active lifestyle? What do you think of this list? How do you stay active on a budget? Comment below or tag us on the @Runstreet Instagram to share your thoughts and get cheered on in your workouts. Happy sweating to you!😊

Resources: WalletHub’s Best Cities for an Active Lifestyle

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.

10 Best Cities for an Active Lifestyle in 2024