San Francisco Soars to the Top: A Leader in Active Living!

Considering that “exercising more” and “losing weight” rank among the foremost New Year’s resolutions for 2025, the personal-finance platform WalletHub has unveiled its report on the Best and Worst Cities for an Active Lifestyle in 2025, along with expert insights, to pinpoint where Americans have the best prospects of remaining fit in the upcoming year.

WalletHub assessed the 100 largest U.S. cities based on 35 essential metrics. The dataset encompasses aspects such as the average monthly fitness-club membership cost, the city’s bike score, and the percentage of physically inactive adults.

Top Cities for an Active Lifestyle

Leading the rankings, Honolulu, Hawaii, was designated the most favorable city for sustaining an active lifestyle. Following closely were New York, NY, and San Francisco, CA. The remaining top 10 included Las Vegas, NV; Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA; Denver, CO; San Diego, CA; Philadelphia, PA; and finally, Cincinnati, Ohio, at the tenth spot.

Bottom Cities for an Active Lifestyle

Fresno, California, ranked at number 91, identified as one of the least favorable cities for maintaining an active lifestyle. This was succeeded by Winston-Salem, NC; Newark, NJ; Garland, TX; Hialeah, FL; Wichita, KS; Corpus Christi, TX; Fort Wayne, IN; Irving, TX; and at the bottom of the list, North Las Vegas, Nevada, at number 100.

“The leading cities for maintaining an active lifestyle provide opportunities for a diverse range of individuals, from those who prefer team sports to those who simply desire to engage in daily exercise through walking or biking to their destinations. They also tend to be large urban areas that are still in close reach of stunning natural locales for hiking and swimming. Additionally, the top destinations for an active lifestyle boast populations that are highly invested in exercise, which contributes to individuals finding workout companions and sustaining motivation,” remarked Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst. “Honolulu stands out as the premier city for an active lifestyle, primarily because it fosters community sports more than any other city, offering an exceptionally high number of baseball fields, skate parks, volleyball courts, and tennis courts per capita. Even for those disinterested in team sports, the city’s closeness to the ocean permits easy access to swimming and surfing, and it also ranks as the top city for hiking paths. Furthermore, it possesses the third-highest acreage of parkland per capita. Honolulu is ranked third in the nation for air quality as well, which benefits your breathing during outdoor activities.”

Comparative Analysis: Best vs. Worst

Orlando, Florida, offers the highest number of sporting goods stores per capita, being 10.5 times more than North Las Vegas, Nevada, which has the least.

Scottsdale, Arizona, boasts the most public golf courses per capita, being 49.3 times greater than Bakersfield, California, which has the fewest.

Denver, Colorado, has the highest quantity of fitness trainers and aerobics instructors per capita, 5.8 times more than Corpus Christi, Texas, which has the least.

Las Vegas features the greatest number of playgrounds per capita, 22.2 times more than Hialeah, Florida, which has the least.

To view the complete report, visit:

Expert Insights

In what ways can local communities promote and facilitate active lifestyles among residents?

“Numerous research findings substantiate the creation or enhancement of safe areas for physical activity within communities, aligning those spaces with initiatives that encourage physical exercise. A community-wide promotion of physical activity that incorporates partnerships among various sectors can ensure consistent promotional messaging and opportunities across organizations like schools, workplaces, health departments, primary care clinics, alongside groups such as parks and recreation. Forming a coalition with representatives from each of these groups who are advocates for physical activity can establish a plan to ensure policies, environments, and programs are in place to support increased physical activity for individuals of all ages and demographics in the community. It’s equally crucial to examine areas and groups within the community lacking equal access to physical activity resources and to ensure that any alterations focus on these populations.”

Paul Estabrooks – Professor and Associate Dean, University of Utah

“Activities related to fitness must integrate into the societal framework and require support across the community. Initially, if a municipality enhances access to public transport, individuals who typically need to drive for all travel can opt to walk to and from a bus or train station. Publicly funded facilities providing free access to amenities like tennis courts, basketball courts, swimming pools, and indoor gyms are vital. Some cities and towns offer local resident hours to utilize school fitness facilities and swimming pools. If a parks and recreation department exists that provides free access to facilities and even transportation, this can encourage residents to adopt active lifestyles. Organizing periodic town-wide or city-wide walk-a-thons or races to raise funds for local causes is another strategy to motivate participation. Networks such as schools, health centers, and faith-based organizations can facilitate activities such as walking groups, hiking groups, or explorer clubs for the youth, alongside exercise programs for older adults. Planning and zoning authorities may need to design pedestrian master plans to ensure walking remains safe and convenient.”

Susan Massad, HSD, R.D. – Professor and Director, Didactic Program in Dietetics, Framingham State University

What recommendations do you have for those aiming to sustain an active lifestyle affordably?

“Consider taking walks outdoors if you feel safe in your surroundings. If that’s not viable, there are several free fitness apps and online videos available. Review your health insurance plan; some insurers provide discounts for gym memberships or fitness equipment and trackers. Set achievable goals integrated into your daily routine. For instance, commit to using 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

“Utilize stairs. Park further away to encourage more walking. Engage in brisk walks. Play your favorite music and dance, even if it’s in your home (though it’s better if you are feeling shy). Use items from your home to strengthen arm muscles—lift and move things around cautiously. Perform arm circles, push-ups, planks, squats, and lunges. Online videos are available to guide you on these exercises. Consult your local parks and recreation department for free or low-cost offerings. Explore free apps or exercise videos—many are accessible on YouTube. The beauty of this is that you typically only need loose, comfortable clothing and not elaborate spandex or gym attire. Test out various workouts; if one becomes monotonous, switch to another. Some provide full-body toning, some focus on Zumba (dancing), while others vary in impact levels. Diversifying your exercises enhances various muscle groups and raises overall fitness levels. Form a walking club or team up with a fitness partner. Social engagement enhances motivation and helps maintain commitment.”

Susan Massad, HSD, R.D. – Professor and Director, Didactic Program in Dietetics, Framingham State University

How can parentsencourage children to be engaged in order to tackle obesity?

“My initial suggestion is to allow children to have fun! Studies indicate that when kids are granted the freedom to roam in their outdoor surroundings, they tend to be more active than when involved in organized activities or guided by caring adults. Often, guardians might restrict children’s access to outside spaces due to safety concerns about the neighborhood or a preference for indoor activities. Simply granting children free time outdoors is the easiest and most impactful method to enhance their movement. In communities where parents have limited time and financial resources, community recreation organizers might opt to deploy a mobile ‘rolling rec’ to such areas. Qualified play coordinators and basic sports gear are provided where youngsters reside to encourage informal outdoor play and sports. My subsequent suggestion is to motivate parents to inquire about their children’s interests. Many kids start sports and activities based on their parent’s preferences. Asking your child what they enjoy can lead to a deeper connection with the activity and enhanced commitment from the child. If the child selects the activity, it is perceived as more appealing compared to being assigned. Children have remarkably little authority in their lives, thus choosing how to be active can be a domain for empowerment.”

Kindal Shores, Ph.D. – Professor, East Carolina University

“Children need to engage in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily to promote well-being and fend off obesity (along with other chronic illnesses). Overall, the optimum way to keep children active is to discover physical activities they enjoy and offer them chances to participate in those activities frequently. For parents, join your children in these activities. Parents who partake in physical activities alongside their children tend to have more active kids than those who do not. Other helpful approaches include limiting screen time, which means establishing boundaries on how long children can utilize their phones or tablets. Having children turn in their devices at bedtime and keeping leisure screen time to under an hour each day are also effective tactics. Lastly, engaging kids in programs at the boys and girls club, parks and recreation centers, or the YMCA can support physical activity at an affordable cost.”

Paul Estabrooks – Professor and Associate Dean, University of Utah