San Francisco’s gym scene outpaces national average
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San Francisco is among the largest U.S. metro areas with the most gyms per 100,000 residents, government data shows.
Why it matters: Gyms offer city dwellers a way to get and stay healthy, and can serve as excellent "third places" — a spot to hang out and connect outside home or work.
State of play: San Francisco has 18.2 gyms per 100,000 residents, higher than the U.S. average of 13.6.
- That includes everything from chains like 24 Hour Fitness to local brands like Fitness SF, Live Fit and The Yard.
Zoom out: Bridgeport, Connecticut (27.5); Boston (20.6); and San Diego (20.4) have the most gyms, while San Juan (4.3); Lakeland, Florida (6.2); and McAllen, Texas (6.6) have the fewest.
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.
What we're watching: High-end gyms are branding themselves as both a place to pump iron and take work meetings — though hopefully not at the same time.
- Other popular chains, like Planet Fitness and Crunch Fitness, are swapping out cardio equipment for more weights — reflecting our "increasingly muscle-obsessed population," per Bloomberg.