Central Valley city is one of worst spots for an active lifestyle, study says. Where is it?
Hitting the gym? A Central Valley city is one of the top 10 worst spots in the nation for those seeking an active lifestyle, according to WalletHub.
The personal finance website ranked the Best and Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle in 2025, based on factors including fitness club fees, the number of swimming pools per capita and local Google searches for “at-home workouts.”
“The road to an active lifestyle can be filled with obstacles, sometimes because where we live may be failing to promote a healthy way of life,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo wrote in a Jan. 6 article. “Some cities, for instance, lack sidewalks or neighborhood parks.”
Honolulu was the No. 1 city for active people, the new WalletHub study found, thanks in part to the Hawaiian city’s island climate, proximity to the ocean and high number of baseball fields, skate parks and volleyball courts per capita.
New York City came in second place among the top cities for fitness fans, and San Francisco claimed the No. 3 spot.
Why is Fresno one of the worst cities for fitness?
Fresno was No. 10 on WalletHub’s list of the worst cities for those seeking active lifestyles, despite its proximity to Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada.
The Central Valley city had a total score of 31.17 out of 100, earning an overall ranking of No. 91 out of 100 cities.
In the Budget and Participation category, which looked at sportswear costs, sports clubs per capita and other factors, Fresno ranked No. 87 out of 100 cities.
The city was No. 92 in the Sports and Outdoors category, which considered factors including weather, walkability and parks, playgrounds and soccer fields per capita.
Fresno’s poor air quality may present a challenge for fans of outdoor sports.
Fresno is one of the top 10 most polluted cities in the United States, according to the American Lung Association’s 2024 State of the Air report.
Which other California cities made the list?
Although Fresno was the lowest ranking California city in terms of its suitability for fitness fans, it wasn’t the only location in the Golden State to land low on WalletHub’s list.
The personal finance website ranked Bakerfield at No. 78 out of 100 cities, WalletHub said.
Anaheim was No. 79 and San Bernardino was No. 82.
Where are the worst cities for fitness lovers in US?
These were the 10 worst cities for fitness lovers in the United States, according to WalletHub:
- North Las Vegas
- Irving, Texas
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Corpus Christi, Texas
- Wichita, Kansas
- Hialeah, Florida
- Garland, Texas
- Newark, New Jersey
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Fresno
Where are the best cities for fitness lovers in US?
These were the top 10 U.S. cities for people seeking active lifestyles, according to WalletHub:
- Honolulu
- New York
- San Francisco
- Las Vegas
- Chicago
- Los Angeles
- Denver
- San Diego
- Philadelphia
- Cincinnati
How did WalletHub come up with rankings?
WalletHub compared the 100 most populated U.S. cities across two key dimensions: Budget and Participation and Sports and Outdoors.
Those dimensions were then evaluated using a total of 35 metrics, including:
- Average monthly fitness club fee
- Sporting goods stores per capita
- Share of physically inactive adults
- Google searches for “at-home fitness equipment”
- Fitness centers per capita
- Golf courses per capita
- Tennis courts per capita
- Presence of bike-sharing programs
Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing “the most favorable conditions for a physically active population,” the site said.
WalletHub then calculated the overall score for each city to complete its rankings.
Data came from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well as AreaVibes, GolfLink, Walk Score and Yelp.
This story was originally published January 8, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
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