Given that “exercising more” and “losing weight” are among the top New Year’s resolutions for 2025, the personal-finance website WalletHub has released its report on the Best and Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle in 2025, along with expert commentary, to identify where Americans stand the best chance of staying fit in the new year.
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.
Best Cities for an Active Lifestyle
At the top of the list, Honolulu, Hawaii was ranked as the best city for maintaining an active lifestyle. Second was New York, NY, followed by San Francisco, CA. The rest of the top 10 were Las Vegas, NV; Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA; Denver, CO; San Diego, CA; Philadelphia, PA and, at number 10, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle
Fresno, California came in at number 91, considered one of the worst cities for maintaining an active lifestyle. It was followed by Winston-Salem, NC; Newark, NJ; Garland, TX; Hialeah, FL; Wichita, KS; Corpus Christi, TX; Fort Wayne, IN; Irving, TX; and last on the list, at number 100, was North Las Vegas, Nevada.
“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, WalletHub Analyst. “Honolulu is the best city for an active lifestyle, in large part because it promotes community sports more than any other city, with an extremely high number of baseball fields, skate parks, volleyball courts and tennis courts per capita. 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 ranks third in the nation for air quality, too, so that will help your breathing while you engage in outdoor activities.”
Best vs. Worst
Orlando, Florida, has the most sporting-goods stores per capita, 10.5 times more than in North Las Vegas, Nevada, which has the fewest.
Scottsdale, Arizona, has the most public golf courses per capita, 49.3 times more than in Bakersfield, California, which has the fewest.
Denver, Colorado, 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, Florida, which has the fewest.
To view the full report, visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-cities-for-an-active-lifestyle/8817
Expert Commentary
How can local communities encourage and facilitate active lifestyles among residents?
“Some of the strongest research evidence supports creating or improving safe spaces for physical activity in the community and aligning those spaces with programs that promote physical activity. Community-wide physical activity promotion that includes partnerships between different sectors so that there can be consistent promotion messages, and opportunities across organizations like schools, worksites, health departments, primary care clinics, and groups like parks and recreation. Developing a coalition with representatives from each of these groups who are physical activity champions can build a plan to make sure that there are policies, environments, and programs that can support increased physical activity for all ages and groups in the community. It is also really important to look at areas and groups in the community that do not have equal access to physical activity resources and ensure that any change focuses on these populations.”
Paul Estabrooks – Professor and Associate Dean, University of Utah
“Fitness-related activities need to become part of the social fabric and need to be supported all around. For starters, if a municipality increases access to public transportation, people who ordinarily have to drive everywhere can walk to and from a bus or a train. Public, tax-supported facilities that provide free access to all, like tennis courts, basketball courts, swimming pools, and indoor gymnasiums are essential. Some cities and towns have open hours for locals to use the public-school fitness facilities and swimming pools. If there is a parks and recreation department that provides free access to facilities and even free transportation, this could encourage active lifestyles among residents. Having regular town-wide or city-wide walk-a-thons or races to raise funds for a local cause is another way to incentivize people to take part. Social networks (schools, health centers, houses of worship), can organize activities such as walking groups, hiking groups, or explorers clubs for the youth, and exercise classes for senior citizens. Planning and zoning administrators may need to create pedestrian master plans to make walking safe and convenient.”
Susan Massad, HSD, R.D. – Professor and Director, Didactic Program in Dietetics, Framingham State University
What tips do you have for someone looking to maintain an active lifestyle on a budget?
“Go for walks outside if you feel comfortable in your environment. If not, there are plenty of free fitness apps and online videos. Review your health insurance. Some insurers offer discounted gym memberships or discounts on fitness equipment and fitness trackers. Set simple goals integrated into your lives. For example, I am going to use the stairs every day instead of the elevator.”
Jennifer D. Roberts, Ph.D., MPH – Director, Public Health Outcomes and Effects of the Built Environment Laboratory; Associate Professor, University of Maryland
“Climb stairs. Park farther away so you have to walk more. Take brisk walks. Put on some of your favorite music, and then dance – even if it is in your own home (better if you are self-conscious). Use what is in your home to increase arm muscle strength – carefully lift and move things around. Do arm circles, push-ups, planks, squats, and lunges. There are internet videos that show you how to do these. Use your local parks and recreation department to see what is offered for free or at a low cost. Try free apps or exercise videos – there are many on YouTube. The advantage is you only need loose, comfortable clothes – not fancy spandex or gym outfits. Try different ones – if you get bored with one, try another. Some involve total body tone-up, some offer Zumba (dancing), some are low impact, and some are high impact. Explore different ones. A variety of exercises improve different muscle groups and increase overall fitness. Start a walking club or engage a fitness buddy. Social interactions keep us more motivated and hold us accountable to each other.”
Susan Massad, HSD, R.D. – Professor and Director, Didactic Program in Dietetics, Framingham State University
How can parents encourage children to be active in order to combat obesity?
“My first tip is to let children play! Research shows that when children are given free rein in their outdoor environments, they are more active than when provided structured activities or directed in activities by caring adults. Oftentimes, parents may limit children’s access to the outdoors because they feel a neighborhood is not safe or they prefer to be indoors. Simply providing children with free time outdoors is the simplest and most effective way to increase movement. In neighborhoods where parental time and money resources may be limited, community recreation leaders may choose to send a mobile ‘rolling rec’ to these neighborhoods. Responsible play leaders and basic sporting equipment are provided where children and teens live in an effort to facilitate informal outdoor play and sports. My second tip is to encourage parents to ask their children what they enjoy. Many children begin youth sports and activities according to the interests of their parents. Asking your child what they prefer can lead to internalization of the activity and greater commitment by the child. If the child chooses the activity, it is seen as more desirable than if it is prescribed. Children have so little control in their lives, that how they choose to be active can be an area for empowerment.”
Kindal Shores, Ph.D. – Professor, East Carolina University
“Children should be getting 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day to promote health and prevent obesity (and other chronic conditions). Overall, the best thing to keep kids active is to find physical activities that they like and give them opportunities to do those activities often. For parents, get active with your kiddos. Parents who are active with their children have more active children than parents who do not. Other things that help are keeping screen time down, this means setting limits on the amount of time kids can play on their phones or tablets. Having kids check in their phones or tablets at bedtime and keeping leisure screen time to less than an hour per day are also helpful strategies. Finally, getting kids involved in programs at the boys and girls club, parks and recreation, or the YMCA can help promote physical activity at a low cost.”
Paul Estabrooks – Professor and Associate Dean, University of Utah