DC Metro Area Is Home to America’s Fittest Cities, Index Finds

The nation’s capital region continues to lead the American College of Sports Medicine’s Fitness Index, with Seattle also securing a top spot

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) American has released its 17th annual American Fitness Index, ranking the fittest U.S. cities based on 33 indicators of fitness and livability. This year, Arlington, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Seattle, Washington, topped the list in that order, maintaining their rankings from 2023. 

Published by ACSM and Elevance Health Foundation, the results demonstrate that more Americans are walking and biking to work than ever, while park expenditures are up and food security has improved slightly.

However, there remain problems to solve: residents in the 100 largest cities are not exercising enough to meet minimum ACSM standards and the number of people getting more than seven hours of sleep each night has decreased, according to the organization.

“The Fitness Index offers four ways city leaders and residents can make a substantial difference: fuel knowledge, celebrate success, inspire action, and join the movement,” said ACSM president Stella Volpe, PhD. “The significance and value of the index goes well beyond the rankings. City officials can use the Fitness Index as a baseline to measure progress and make data-driven decisions that improve residents’ health.”

“This data can also serve as a yardstick for future evaluation, enabling cities to track their progress and celebrate their achievements in creating healthier and more vibrant communities,” Volpe added.

Rounding out the top ten fittest cities are San Francisco, California; Madison, Wisconsin; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Denver, Colorado; Atlanta, Georgia; Irvine, California; and St. Paul, Minnesota.

Full rankings and scores, a call-to-action report, a city comparison tool, and other insights are accessible on the Fitness Index website.

Top 10 Cities:

1. Arlington, Virginia
   • Overall Rank: 1
   • Personal Health Rank: 4
   • Community & Environment Rank: 1
2. Washington, D.C.
   • Overall Rank: 2
   • Personal Health Rank: 2
   • Community & Environment Rank: 3
3. Seattle, Washington
   • Overall Rank: 3
   • Personal Health Rank: 1
   • Community & Environment Rank: 11
4. San Francisco, California
   • Overall Rank: 4
   • Personal Health Rank: 3
   • Community & Environment Rank: 18
5. Madison, Wisconsin
   • Overall Rank: 5
   • Personal Health Rank: 5
   • Community & Environment Rank: 16
6. Minneapolis, Minnesota
   • Overall Rank: 6
   • Personal Health Rank: 13
   • Community & Environment Rank: 2
7. Denver, Colorado
   • Overall Rank: 7
   • Personal Health Rank: 6
   • Community & Environment Rank: 19
8. Atlanta, Georgia
   • Overall Rank: 8
   • Personal Health Rank: 9
   • Community & Environment Rank: 15
9. Irvine, California
   • Overall Rank: 9
   • Personal Health Rank: 7
   • Community & Environment Rank: 31
10. St. Paul, Minnesota
    • Overall Rank: 10
    • Personal Health Rank: 25
    • Community & Environment Rank: 4