Which are the best, worst cities for an active lifestyle in 2025?
WalletHub shared its latest report on the Best & Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle in 2025.
WalletHub compared the 100 biggest U.S. cities across 35 key metrics. The data set ranges from the average monthly fitness-club fee to the city’s bike score to the share of physically inactive adults.
Top 5 Cities for an Active Lifestyle
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- New York, N.Y.
- San Francisco, Calif.
- Las Vegas, Nev.
- Chicago, Ill.
| Best Cities for an Active Lifestyle | Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle | ||
| 1. Honolulu, Hawaii | 91. Fresno, Calif. | ||
| 2. New York, N.Y. | 92. Winston-Salem, N.C. | ||
| 3. San Francisco, Calif. | 93. Newark, N.J. | ||
| 4. Las Vegas, Nev. | 94. Garland, Texas | ||
| 5. Chicago, Ill. | 95. Hialeah, Fla. | ||
| 6. Los Angeles, Calif. | 96. Wichita, Kan. | ||
| 7. Denver, Colo. | 97. Corpus Christi, Texas | ||
| 8. San Diego, Calif. | 98. Fort Wayne, Ind. | ||
| 9. Philadelphia, Pa. | 99. Irving, Texas | ||
| 10. Cincinnati, Ohio | 100. North Las Vegas, Nev. | ||
[Read more: Which cities are the healthiest?]
In-depth look at the best cities:
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is 2025’s best city for an active lifestyle, in large part because it promotes community sports more than any other city. For example, it has an especially high number of baseball fields, skate parks, volleyball courts and tennis courts per capita.
The island paradise feel of Honolulu makes it easy for outdoor recreation to flourish. Even if you’re not interested in team sports, the city’s proximity to the ocean allows for easy access to swimming and surfing, and it’s the top city for hiking trails as well. Plus, it has the third-most acres of parkland per capita. Honolulu also has a bike-sharing program and the eighth-highest percentage of people who bike or walk to work.
Honolulu ranks third in the nation for air quality, too, so that will help your breathing while you engage in outdoor activities.
New York, N.Y.
The second-best city for an active lifestyle is New York City, and you can get plenty of exercise simply by walking to your job, restaurants and other destinations. New York ranks as the second-most walkable city in the United States, and it also provides plenty of opportunities for organized recreation. It’s one of the best cities when it comes to the availability of dance schools, swimming lessons, bike rental facilities, basketball courts, soccer fields and ice rinks.
New York provides plenty of opportunities for children to stay fit as well, with the second-most playgrounds per capita. It’s important to instill good physical fitness habits at a young age.
Finally, New York’s residents express a high level of interest in staying active. People in NYC search Google for terms relating to workouts and exercise equipment more than people in any other city. That means if you’re interested in staying active, you’ll probably be able to find a lot of like-minded people who you could potentially work out with.
San Francisco, Calif.
San Francisco ranks as the third-best city for staying active, in large part because 100% of residents live within a reasonable distance of opportunities for physical activity. In addition to being a big metropolis, the Golden Gate City also has a very high number of hiking trails per capita, and it’s right next to the bay.
You can easily use your commute in San Francisco as your daily exercise, too. It’s the most walkable city in the nation, and it has a bike-sharing program. There are plenty of opportunities to participate in sports, too. The city has a very high number of soccer fields, dance schools and sports clubs per capita.
To top things off, San Francisco has the seventh-best air quality in the country, which makes it easier to enjoy exercise outside.
[Read more: Which states vaccinate the most?]
Best vs. Worst:
Orlando, Fla., has the most sporting-goods stores per capita, 10.5 times more than in North Las Vegas, Nev. which has the fewest.
Scottsdale, Ariz., has the most public golf courses per capita, 49.3 times more than in Bakersfield, Calif., which has the fewest.
Denver, Colo., has the most fitness trainers and aerobics instructors per capita, 5.8 times more than in Corpus Christi, Texas, which has the fewest.
Las Vegas has the most playgrounds per capita, 22.2 times more than in Hialeah, Fla., which has the fewest.
“The top cities for staying active offer opportunities for all types of people, from those who prefer team sports to people who simply want to get their daily exercise by walking or biking to work. They also tend to be large cities that still have a close proximity to beautiful natural areas for hiking and swimming. Finally, the top cities for an active lifestyle have populations that are highly interested in exercise, which helps people find workout partners and stay motivated,” said Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst.
To view the full report and your city’s rank, please visit here.