Jul 18, 2025 - News
Phoenix lacks gyms
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The Phoenix metro area has fewer gyms per capita than the national average.
Why it matters: Gyms offer city dwellers a way to get and stay healthy, and can serve as "third places" to hang out and connect outside of home or work.
By the numbers: In the third quarter of 2024, the Valley had 11.9 gyms per 100,000 residents, compared to 13.6 nationally.
- The Bridgeport, Connecticut, metro area led the nation.
How it works: These figures represent "fitness and recreational sports centers" in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data for Q3 2024.
- Axios looked at metro areas with at least 500,000 residents, for which BLS had sufficient data.