A massive fitness boom is sweeping the US, with nearly 80% of Americans engaging in some form of physical activity with states actively working to become the fittest states. Fueled by a post-pandemic shift toward preventive healthcare, the nation’s $60 billion fitness market encompasses everything from accessible budget chains and premium health clubs to widespread outdoor recreation.
National Trends & Data
- Rising Participation: Gym visits rose by 3.5%, and approximately 247 million Americans report being physically active.
- Who is Working Out: The surge in weekly exercise minutes is driven heavily by young adults and women over 65.
- Top Activities: Walking for fitness reigns supreme (over 115 million participants), followed by trail hiking, treadmill running, and free weights.
- Pickleball Boom: Pickleball remains the fastest-growing sport, seeing a 46% year-over-year player increase recently.
Fitness Across Cities & States in America
- Most Active States: Colorado ranks as the most fitness-obsessed state in America, with 82.3% of residents getting moving outside of work. California takes second with over 11,000 gyms.
- Fittest Cities: The American College of Sports Medicine consistently ranks Arlington, Virginia, as the number one fittest city in America based on community infrastructure, health behaviors, and local policies.
America’s Fittest States Revealed: Vermont Tops the Nation, Louisiana Comes Last
A quarter of America’s residents entered 2026 determined to exercise more, while 22% aimed to eat healthier, and 21% set goals to improve their physical health. As preventable conditions linked to poor diet and inactivity continue to place pressure on healthcare systems, Nursa created the Fittest States Index to reveal where healthy habits are translating into healthier lifestyles across America.
Study Highlights
- Vermont is named the fittest state, scoring 8.97 out of 10
- Louisiana ranked the most unfit state with a 4.25/10 score
- West Virginia is the most obese state, with 41.4% of residents
- Oklahoma eats the least healthy, with just 3.8% of adults eating enough fruit and veg
- Colorado has the most fast food locations with 37.1 per 100k people
- Massachusetts exercises the most, with 68.1% of residents exercising 150+ mins a week
Miranda Belcher, RN, spokesperson for Nursa, comments:
“Fitness isn’t just about appearance or athletic performance. Regular exercise, healthy eating, quality sleep, and avoiding smoking all play a major role in reducing the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
“The states ranking highest in our index tend to perform consistently well across multiple health behaviors rather than excelling in just one area. Small, sustainable habits can have a significant impact on both individual health outcomes and the broader healthcare system.”
The Results: The Fittest States in the U.S
| Rank | State | Gyms per 100k people | Adult Obesity | Adults sleeping <7 hrs a night | Adults eating 2+ fruits and 3+ veg daily | Walking, running and hiking routes per 100k people | Alcohol consumption per person (Gallons) | Smokers | Fast food locations per 100k people | Residents doing 150+ mins exercise a week | % of inactive residents (outside of work) | Score /10 |
| 1 | Vermont | 13.1 | 29.0% | 29.6% | 12.9% | 31.0 | 3.1 | 13.2% | 19.4 | 62.0% | 16.0% | 8.97 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 8.5 | 27.0% | 32.7% | 7.6% | 39.6 | 2.6 | 11.7% | 21.1 | 68.1% | 18.8% | 8.73 |
| 3 | Washington | 15.3 | 31.5% | 32.4% | 9.0% | 73.6 | 2.2 | 12.7% | 30.2 | 61.0% | 17.4% | 8.69 |
| 4 | Colorado | 16.5 | 25.0% | 30.3% | 8.8% | 22.9 | 2.9 | 13.8% | 37.1 | 62.4% | 15.6% | 8.44 |
| 5 | Utah | 12.7 | 31.0% | 34.2% | 7.4% | 31.1 | 1.4 | 10.1% | 33.0 | 56.4% | 16.8% | 8.42 |
| 6 | Connecticut | 7.3 | 32.0% | 35.7% | 10.2% | 41.7 | 2.4 | 12.3% | 23.2 | 64.5% | 20.8% | 8.34 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 15.0 | 31.1% | 33.0% | 11.1% | 38.7 | 4.7 | 13.3% | 27.2 | 61.9% | 18.6% | 8.33 |
| 8 | California | 8.3 | 29.1% | 34.8% | 9.0% | 14.6 | 2.5 | 12.9% | 29.2 | 63.2% | 20.7% | 8.08 |
| 9 | New Jersey | 6.6 | 27.7% | 37.4% | 11.4% | 8.4 | 2.4 | 11.8% | 18.7 | 62.5% | 22.8% | 8.06 |
| 10 | Maryland | 8.8 | 32.7% | 38.0% | 8.6% | 24.4 | 2.1 | 13.3% | 29.2 | 62.2% | 19.5% | 7.96 |
| 11 | Minnesota | 7.4 | 32.3% | 29.6% | 7.5% | 7.8 | 2.8 | 15.3% | 20.6 | 61.0% | 17.5% | 7.90 |
| 12 | Oregon | 14.7 | 33.5% | 30.9% | 6.5% | 58.7 | 2.7 | 15.1% | 27.9 | 57.8% | 19.0% | 7.87 |
| 13 | Wyoming | 15.1 | 32.5% | 32.3% | 6.3% | 59.6 | 2.8 | 16.0% | 24.2 | 57.1% | 21.0% | 7.86 |
| 14 | Maine | 6.6 | 33.2% | 32.7% | 7.1% | 32.2 | 2.9 | 15.5% | 16.4 | 56.4% | 21.4% | 7.80 |
| 15 | New York | 8.4 | 29.5% | 38.4% | 12.0 | 16.8 | 2.2 | 14.6% | 29.9 | 66.7% | 24.0% | 7.75 |
The full dataset is available here
Vermont is the Fittest State in the US
The analysis revealed that Vermont is the fittest state in the U.S., scoring 8.97 out of 10 in the Fittest States Index. Sleep is incredibly valuable for health and fitness, with an estimated 1 in 3 Americans getting less than seven hours of sleep; Vermonters are the most well-rested, with just 29.6% of the state sleeping less than 7 hours on average, compared to Hawaii, where 45.6% of people get less than 7 hours of sleep – the worst state for sleep.
Vermonters also eat the healthiest, with 12.9% of residents eating 2+ fruits and 3+ veg, 3.4 times Oklahoma’s rate (3.8%). Vermont also comes in second for the number of residents inactive outside of work, with just 16% of people, compared to 30.6% in Mississippi. Life expectancy in Vermont sits at 78.4 years, with a relatively low adult smoking rate of 13.23%. The number of fast food locations per 100k people on average in America is 24.1; Vermont sits well below with just 19.4. With a vast amount of green spaces, gyms, and running routes, the Green Mountain State is leading the way when it comes to wellness.
Massachusetts comes in second place, with an 8.73 score out of 10. Massachusetts has the second-lowest obesity rate in the US, with just 27% of the population, 7% lower than the American average of 34%. The state also has the second-lowest rate of smokers at just 11.7%. Massachusetts has the highest rate of active residents, with 68.1% getting at least 150 mins of moderate aerobic exercise per week.
Washington comes in third, with a score of 8.69 out of 10, thanks to its abundance of walking, hiking, and running routes (73.6 per 100k people), and the second-highest number of gyms per 100k people (15.3). In the state, only 17.4% of people are inactive, with 61% of residents getting more than 150 mins of aerobic exercise per week. Washington also has a lower rate of smokers than the American average of 16.3% (12.7%), and on average, they drink 2.2 gallons of alcohol per year compared to the American average of 2.5.
In fourth place, Colorado scores 8.44 out of 10 with the most gyms per 100k people (16.5), the lowest rate of obesity (25%), and the fewest inactive residents with 15.6%, despite having the most fast food locations per 100k people in America (37.1). Rounding up the top five is Utah with 8.42 out of 10.
The Most Unfit States in America
| Rank | State | Gyms per 100k people | Adult Obesity | Adults sleeping <7 hrs a night | Adults eating 2+ fruits and 3+ veg daily | Walking, running and hiking routes per 100k people | Alcohol consumption per person (Gallons) | Smokers | Fast food locations per 100k people | Residents doing 150+ mins exercise a week | % of inactive residents (outside of work) | Score /10 |
| 1 | Louisiana | 2.8 | 39.2% | 39.8% | 6.2% | 1.0 | 2.6 | 21.0% | 19.7 | 42.8% | 27.6% | 4.25 |
| 2 | Mississippi | 3.0 | 40.4% | 37.8% | 4.1% | 0.6 | 2.2 | 19.7% | 22.0 | 39.8% | 30.6% | 4.36 |
| 3 | West Virginia | 5.2 | 41.4% | 41.3% | 5.1% | 16.3 | 1.7 | 21.6% | 25.1 | 42.4% | 28.7% | 4.91 |
| 4 | Alabama | 3.3 | 38.9% | 40.5% | 4.8% | 2.3 | 2.0 | 18.4% | 20.6 | 51.1% | 27.6% | 4.99 |
| 5 | Nevada | 5.6 | 34.2% | 38.9% | 5.7% | 3.9 | 3.4 | 17.3% | 25.9 | 51.6% | 23.2% | 5.11 |
| 6 | Tennessee | 3.5 | 37.6% | 38.8% | 6.8% | 2.3 | 2.1 | 21.6% | 22.1 | 52.0% | 26.0% | 5.28 |
| 7 | Kentucky | 4.3 | 37.2% | 39.3% | 8.9% | 4.8 | 2.0 | 21.0% | 22.3 | 49.1% | 28.0% | 5.58 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 3.9 | 36.8% | 35.5% | 3.8% | 0.4 | 1.9 | 18.9% | 16.6 | 43% | 27.7% | 5.65 |
| 9 | Missouri | 5.3 | 34.6% | 36.8% | 5.1% | 12.0 | 2.5 | 20.8% | 20.5 | 53.2% | 24.6% | 5.82 |
| 10 | Arkansas | 3.7 | 38.9% | 38.7% | 10.2% | 5.6 | 1.8 | 20.9% | 20.0 | 45.2% | 28.5% | 5.86 |
| 11 | Texas | 5.2 | 35.6% | 36.9% | 8.8% | 1.2 | 2.3 | 16.6% | 19.7 | 50.6% | 25.1% | 6.28 |
| 12 | Indiana | 5.6 | 38.4% | 37.7% | 8.7% | 12.6 | 2.2 | 18.9% | 20.3 | 52.2% | 24.6% | 6.39 |
| 13 | Florida | 5.4 | 29.6% | 37.4% | 7.1% | 4.0 | 2.6 | 16.3% | 18.7 | 51.1% | 25.0% | 6.54 |
| 14 | North Dakota | 6.2 | 36.8% | 33.2% | 6.3% | 15.2 | 3.2 | 16.5% | 17.8 | 50.7% | 21.7% | 6.55 |
| 15 | Delaware | 4.9 | 36.6% | 35.6% | 7.4% | 13.1 | 3.5 | 14.1% | 22.8 | 62.4% | 25.2% | 6.57 |
The full dataset is available here
Louisiana is the Least Fit State in the US
On the flip side, Louisiana is the least fit state in America, scoring just 4.25 out of 10 for fitness. Louisiana has the fewest gyms per 100k people, with 2.8, as well as 39.2% of residents that are obese, and 21% of Louisianans smoke, all adding up to an unhealthy lifestyle. Following on from Louisiana, the most unfit states include Mississippi (4.36), West Virginia (4.91), Alabama (4.99), and Nevada (5.11).
This article was created at the WHN News Desk in collaboration with Natasha Christou on behalf of Nursa, a nationwide platform that exists to put a nurse at the bedside of every patient in need quickly and safely, removing the financial strain and operational gaps of traditional staffing methods.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN neither agrees nor disagrees with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement.
Opinion Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of WHN. Any content provided by guest authors is of their own opinion and is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything else. The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements.
