These Are the Fittest Cities in America for 2025
The latest ACSM American Fitness Index reveals the top U.S. cities for health and fitness. This year’s winner will be a familiar one for longtime followers of the list
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), in partnership with the Elevance Health Foundation, has released the 2025 American Fitness Index, a comprehensive report ranking the 100 largest U.S. cities using 35 evidence-based health and environmental indicators. This year’s findings reveal encouraging trends: aerobic activity is up nearly 9% nationwide, with 94 cities showing improvement and more residents meeting strength activity benchmarks as well. However, these gains are offset by rising food insecurity, reported in 99 of 100 cities and worsening air quality due to wildfires across the U.S. and Canada.
Top 5 Fittest Cities in America, 2025:
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1. Arlington, Virginia
Arlington remains the gold standard for urban fitness, holding the No. 1 spot in both personal health and community environment. It boasts high rates of physical activity, low smoking prevalence, strong access to parks and recreation and a health-forward infrastructure that supports year-round movement.
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2. Washington, DC.
Ranking first in trail mileage and top five overall, D.C. leverages its extensive network of walking and biking paths to encourage activity among residents. The city prioritizes access to public green spaces and fitness amenities while reducing barriers to active commuting.
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3. Seattle, Washington
Seattle’s high personal health rank (No. 3) and strong community support have given it the number three spot. The city’s residents report high levels of aerobic and strength activity, supported by widespread access to recreation, walkable neighborhoods and a culture that embraces outdoor living despite weather variability.
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4. San Francisco, California
San Francisco continues to perform strongly with low rates of chronic disease, high rates of active transportation like walking and cycling and robust community health resources. It has a high personal health score, bolstered by high fruit and vegetable consumption and lower-than-average rates of obesity and cardiovascular conditions.
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5. Denver, Colorado
In part due to its mountainous surroundings, Denver ranks highly in both physical activity and environmental assets. It offers abundant park acreage per resident and excels in resident engagement with aerobic exercise, consistently in the top ten of these rankings.
Following closely behind are Minneapolis (6), Madison (7), Atlanta (8), Sacramento (9) and San Diego (10). Sacramento’s 23-place jump from last year signals major local investment in recreation and access, while San Diego re-entered the top tier with improved strength activity scores and a growing network of shared-use facilities. While the overall trend points to more Americans getting active, 94 out of 100 cities improved in aerobic activity, nearly all reported increased food insecurity, driven by shifting federal policy. Air quality also worsened, with wildfire smoke affecting millions in the Northeast and Midwest.
This year’s Fitness Index introduced new indicators: trail mileage, splashpads and expanded tracking of tennis courts to include pickleball and dual-use courts, showing evolving recreational preferences. Washington, D.C. ranked No. 1 in trail miles, Boston in splashpads and Richmond, VA in courts. The Index also noted a promising 2.6% decrease in smoking rates across 73 cities and an increase in per capita park spending in 64 cities, seven of which reported increases of more than $100.
However, public health experts warn that environmental and socioeconomic threats remain. Food insecurity surged as pandemic-era assistance programs expired and wildfire-related air pollution affected millions, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest.
“Healthy living starts where we live, learn, work and play,” said Dr. Stella Volpe, Chair of the ACSM Fitness Index Advisory Board. “Every city has the potential to become a healthier, more active community—but it takes commitment, data-driven action and continued momentum.”