We’re Expanding! Fitness Index will now rank America’s 100 largest cities

The American Fitness Index is proud to announce that the 2018 rankings will be released on May 15th! This year’s rankings feature some exciting changes. 

We’re expanding!

For the first ten years of the Fitness Index, the rankings evaluated the 50 largest metro areas. This approach provided important and valuable general messages, but limited the ability to provide targeted assistance to city and community leaders that need specific data at the local level.

With the May 15th release of the 2018 rankings, the Fitness Index will expand to the 100 largest cities in the U.S. This approach distinguishes the largest suburbs from the central cities in the same metro areas. Cities like Plano, TX will now be scored and ranked separately from their Dallas-Fort Worth metro neighbors. The expanded rankings also provide a more inclusive approach by adding cities in states that weren’t represented previously. Welcome to the Fitness Index, Boise, ID!

Despite the shift from metro areas to cities, the methodology and data sources for the Fitness Index remains the same. Learn more about the science behind the Fitness Index here

New tools coming soon

Who doesn’t like fancy new tools? With this year’s rankings release the Fitness Index will also release an interactive city comparison feature. This will allow you to explore differences between cities by comparing to the top ranked city and up to three additional cities. How does NYC compare to LA or Chicago? Does Kansas City, MO rank higher than St. Louis, MO? Which Twin City ranks highest and why? Get curious and let your inner data scientist go to work. 

Reimagined reporting

Using top 10 lists, modern data visualizations, and inspiring stories from cities working to improve, the rankings report provides new insights and summarizes key information across all 100 cities.

All of these changes allow ACSM to provide better, local data to city leaders and targeted assistance to communities that are ready to make healthy changes.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and share how you’ll use the 2018 Fitness Index rankings to make your community healthier and more active using #100fitcities.

100 Largest U.S. Cities

Anchorage

AK

Kansas City

MO

Chandler

AZ

St. Louis

MO

Gilbert

AZ

Charlotte

NC

Glendale

AZ

Durham

NC

Mesa

AZ

Greensboro

NC

Phoenix

AZ

Raleigh

NC

Scottsdale

AZ

Winston-Salem

NC

Tucson

AZ

Lincoln

NE

Anaheim

CA

Omaha

NE

Bakersfield

CA

Jersey City

NJ

Chula Vista

CA

Newark

NJ

Fremont

CA

Albuquerque

NM

Fresno

CA

Henderson

NV

Irvine

CA

Las Vegas

NV

Long Beach

CA

North Las Vegas

NV

Los Angeles

CA

Reno

NV

Oakland

CA

Buffalo

NY

Riverside

CA

New York

NY

Sacramento

CA

Cincinnati

OH

San Diego

CA

Cleveland

OH

San Francisco

CA

Columbus

OH

San Jose

CA

Toledo

OH

Santa Ana

CA

Oklahoma City

OK

Stockton

CA

Tulsa

OK

Aurora

CO

Portland

OR

Colorado Springs

CO

Philadelphia

PA

Denver

CO

Pittsburgh

PA

Washington

D.C.

Memphis

TN

Hialeah

FL

Nashville

TN

Jacksonville

FL

Arlington

TX

Miami

FL

Austin

TX

Orlando

FL

Corpus Christi

TX

St. Petersburg

FL

Dallas

TX

Tampa

FL

El Paso

TX

Atlanta

GA

Fort Worth

TX

Honolulu

HI

Garland

TX

Boise

ID

Houston

TX

Chicago

IL

Irving

TX

Fort Wayne

IN

Laredo

TX

Indianapolis

IN

Lubbock

TX

Wichita

KS

Plano

TX

Lexington

KY

San Antonio

TX

Louisville

KY

Arlington

VA

Baton Rouge

LA

Chesapeake

VA

New Orleans

LA

Norfolk

VA

Boston

MA

Richmond

VA

Baltimore

MD

Virginia Beach

VA

Detroit

MI

Seattle

WA

Minneapolis

MN

Madison

WI

St. Paul

MN

Milwaukee

WI

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