Obesity in the United States is rising, but so is physical activity. More than 54% of adults report meeting the recommended federal guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of rigorous physical activity a week. This is up from just over 42% in 2007.
On average, 23% of adults in the country don’t regularly engage in any leisure physical activity. The share of inactive adults and those who exercise regularly varies greatly from city to city, but there is one emerging trend: metropolitan areas in Western states from California to Colorado have relatively lower shares of adults who do not to exercise outside of work.
The most physically active cities are clustered in a few regions. Six of the 10 cities where the highest shares of adults exercise are either in Colorado or Oregon. In contrast, the 10 cities where the lowest percentage of adults are physically active are all in the South.
Even little time spent exercising is better than none. The share of adult residents with a body mass index higher than 30 is notably higher in metropolitan areas where people are less active. Of the 50 cities on this list, the adult obesity rate is higher than the national rate of approximately 28% in only four.
Similarly, the average number of physically unhealthy days over the course of a month reported by adults who live in cities where the highest share of adults are active also tends to be lower than the national average of 3.7 days per month.
In cities where the highest share of adults exercise regularly, residents also tend to feel healthier. In these cities, a lower share of adults report being in poor or fair health than the 16% of adults who do nationwide. The opposite tends to be true in cities where a higher share of adults are physically inactive.
Methodology
To determine the cities getting the most exercise, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the share of adults who are physically active in the 381 metro areas in the United States. The measure comes from the most recent 2018 dataset collected by County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Obesity rates — the share of adult residents who report a body mass index of 30 or greater — and the share of adults who have access to exercise facilities also come from County Health Rankings. 2017 population figures come from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. The number of fitness and recreational sports facilities that feature exercise and other active physical fitness conditioning per 100,000 people came from the Census’ County Business Patterns.
Click here to see the 50 cities getting the most exercise.
50. Portland-South Portland, Maine
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 81.9%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 14.3 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 81.9%
> Adult obesity rate: 25.9%
> Population: 532,083
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49. Lawrence, Kansas
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 81.9%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 10.9 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 90.3%
> Adult obesity rate: 26.2%
> Population: 120,793
48. Tucson, Arizona
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 81.9%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 11.4 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 87.5%
> Adult obesity rate: 24.9%
> Population: 1,022,769
47. Lincoln, Nebraska
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 81.9%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 16.2 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 95.1%
> Adult obesity rate: 27.4%
> Population: 331,592
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46. Medford, Oregon
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.0%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 12.5 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 36.7%
> Adult obesity rate: 26.6%
> Population: 217,479
45. Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, South Carolina
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.0%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 14.6 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 72.0%
> Adult obesity rate: 25.0%
> Population: 215,302
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44. Spokane, Washington
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.2%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 11.7 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 83.4%
> Adult obesity rate: 29.2%
> Population: 564,291
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43. Greeley, Colorado
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.2%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 7.8 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 75.5%
> Adult obesity rate: 26.4%
> Population: 304,633
42. Ogden-Clearfield, Utah
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.2%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 5.5 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 92.0%
> Adult obesity rate: 26.6%
> Population: 666,547
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41. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.4%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 10.3 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 94.7%
> Adult obesity rate: 21.0%
> Population: 13,353,907
40. Burlington-South Burlington, Vermont
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.5%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 15.6 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 85.0%
> Adult obesity rate: 21.7%
> Population: 218,341
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39. Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, California
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.6%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 10.8 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 88.3%
> Adult obesity rate: 0.25251913460836622%
> Population: 2,324,884
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38. Salt Lake City, Utah
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.6%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 9.9 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 92.7%
> Adult obesity rate: 25.3%
> Population: 1,203,105
37. Austin-Round Rock, Texas
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.6%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 14.9 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 89.6%
> Adult obesity rate: 24.0%
> Population: 2,115,827
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36. State College, Pennsylvania
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.7%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 16.1 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 74.2%
> Adult obesity rate: 29.3%
> Population: 162,660
35. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, California
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.7%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 10.8 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 97.0%
> Adult obesity rate: 20.7%
> Population: 854,223
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34. Salinas, CA Metro Area, California
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.8%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 6.7 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 90.2%
> Adult obesity rate: 24.6%
> Population: 437,907
33. Barnstable Town, Massachusetts
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.9%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 19.6 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 89.3%
> Adult obesity rate: 20.5%
> Population: 213,444
32. Grand Junction, Colorado
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.9%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 6.7 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 80.4%
> Adult obesity rate: 22.3%
> Population: 151,616
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31. Reno, Nevada
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.9%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 13.3 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 90.5%
> Adult obesity rate: 21.5%
> Population: 465,208
30. Madison, Wisconsin
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 83.0%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 19.3 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 9.01%
> Adult obesity rate: 26.0%
> Population: 654,230
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29. Napa, California
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 83.1%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 16.2 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 82.2%
> Adult obesity rate: 23.2%
> Population: 140,973
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28. Albuquerque, New Mexico
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 83.1%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 9.6 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 84.6%
> Adult obesity rate: 22.6%
> Population: 913,113
27. Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Washington
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 82.2%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 9.7 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 77.2%
> Adult obesity rate: 25.4%
> Population: 125,619
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26. Eugene, Oregon
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 83.4%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 10.3 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 85.0%
> Adult obesity rate: 27.3%
> Population: 374,748
25. Olympia-Tumwater, Washington
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 83.4%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 8.4 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 86.9%
> Adult obesity rate: 27.9%
> Population: 280,588
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24. Salem, Oregon
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 83.5%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 11.7 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 63.0%
> Adult obesity rate: 33.1%
> Population: 424,982
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23. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, California
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 83.7%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 13.4 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 96.8%
> Adult obesity rate: 20.5%
> Population: 448,150
22. Flagstaff, Arizona
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 83.8%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 8.5 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 83.2%
> Adult obesity rate: 22.8%
> Population: 140,776
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21. Bremerton-Silverdale, Washington
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 83.8%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 10.2 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 84.7%
> Adult obesity rate: 29.5%
> Population: 266,414
20. Colorado Springs, Colorado
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 83.2%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 9.1 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 89.3%
> Adult obesity rate: 22.5%
> Population: 723,878
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19. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, California
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 83.2%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 13.2 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 95.6%
> Adult obesity rate: 19.9%
> Population: 4,727,357
18. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 84.1%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 13.5 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 92.5%
> Adult obesity rate: 25.1%
> Population: 3,867,046
17. Ann Arbor, Michigan
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 84.2%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 14.0 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 93.9%
> Adult obesity rate: 23.9%
> Population: 367,627
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16. Provo-Orem, Utah
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 84.3%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 6.6 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 83.2%
> Adult obesity rate: 24.7%
> Population: 617,678
15. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 84.4%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 13.6 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 92.4%
> Adult obesity rate: 19.8%
> Population: 1,998,463
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14. San Diego-Carlsbad, California
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 84.5%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 12.2 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 93.2%
> Adult obesity rate: 20.1%
> Population: 3,337,685
13. Santa Rosa, California
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 84.5%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 13.7 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 89.0%
> Adult obesity rate: 20.3%
> Population: 504,217
12. Logan Utah-Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 84.7%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 9.6 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 86.7%
> Adult obesity rate: 24.5%
> Population: 138,219
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11. Missoula, Montana
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 84.9%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 16.4 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 91.8%
> Adult obesity rate: 22.7%
> Population: 117,441
10. Bellingham, Washington
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 85.1%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 14.8 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 83.9%
> Adult obesity rate: 23.1%
> Population: 221,404
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9. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, California
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 85.3%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 14.1 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 89.7%
> Adult obesity rate: 22.9%
> Population: 283,405
8. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colorado
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 85.4%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 14.0 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 97.0%
> Adult obesity rate: 20.1%
> Population: 2,888,227
7. Bend-Redmond, Oregon
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 85.5%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 16.0 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 65.9%
> Adult obesity rate: 22.6%
> Population: 186,875
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6. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Oregon
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 85.5%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 11.6 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 89.8%
> Adult obesity rate: 25.6%
> Population: 2,451,560
5. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, California
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 85.6%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 13.5 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 93.7%
> Adult obesity rate: 18.2%
> Population: 275,897
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4. Fort Collins, Colorado
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 86.8%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 16.2 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 93.9%
> Adult obesity rate: 17.8%
> Population: 343,976
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3. Corvallis, Oregon
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 88.9%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 13.4 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 79.1%
> Adult obesity rate: 24.4%
> Population: 90,951
2. Santa Fe, New Mexico
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 89.0%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 12.1 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 76.3%
> Adult obesity rate: 13.5%
> Population: 148,750
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1. Boulder, Colorado
> Share of adults who exercise regularly: 90.0%
> No. of fitness and recreational sports facilities: 21.7 per 100,000 people
> Share of pop. with access to places for physical activity: 96.8%
> Adult obesity rate: 13.8%
> Population: 322,514
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