The state with the most gyms is Minnesota, where there are 10 gyms per 100,000 residents.
The state with the least gyms is New York, where there are only 3 gyms per 100,000 residents.
6% of American workers say a paid gym membership is one of their most desired job benefits.
Only 51% of Americans work out at least 3 days a week for 30 minutes.
Gyms employ a staggering 829,491 people in the US as of 2021.
For these workers, gyms aren’t just a way to work out, they are a way to pay their bills and advance their career goals. Luckily for them, gyms, fitness clubs, and other workout places can provide well-paying and rewarding careers.
However, some states have far more gyms than others.
Below you can see some breakdowns on the states pumping the most iron, along with how we figured this out.
Surprisingly, chilly Minnesota has the most gyms for its population size. In fact, the state has 10 gyms for every 100,000 residents. Must be working off all the Walleye and the cheese curds.
Where are there the least gyms?
Densely populated New York has the least gyms for its population size, with 32,106 state residents for every gym. Maybe all that black is thinning. Or perhaps New Yorkers just have some long waits at the elliptical machine.
Keep reading to see where your state landed.
How We Determined This
This one was pretty simple. We turned to fitness guru Exercise.com.
Exercise.com counted the 14 largest gym chains number of locations in each state:
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24 Hour Fitness
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Anytime Fitness
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CrossFit
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Crunch Fitness
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Curves Fitness
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Equinox
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Gold’s Gym
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LA Fitness
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Life Time Fitness
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Orange Theory Fitness
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Planet Fitness
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Snap Fitness
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World Gym
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YMCA
From there, they simply compared the total number of gyms for every 100,000 residents.
Want to make working out a career?
If working out is your passion and just seeing the gym makes you smile, maybe you should consider a career in the fitness industry.
While gyms were hard hit by Covid, the industry is rebounding and still contains a lot of exciting job opportunities.
From personal trainer to fitness instructor and the jobs every business needs (accounting, management, marketing), you might just find your dream career.
Create an account on Zippia to find available jobs near you.
States with most (and least) gyms
| State | Gyms Per Capita (100K) | People Per Gym |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 10 | 9,667 |
| Connecticut | 7 | 13,149 |
| Wisconsin | 7 | 13,408 |
| Iowa | 7 | 13,512 |
| New Hampshire | 7 | 13,761 |
| Louisiana | 7 | 13,770 |
| Rhode Island | 7 | 13,900 |
| Colorado | 7 | 14,062 |
| Nebraska | 7 | 14,127 |
| South Dakota | 6 | 14,424 |
| North Dakota | 6 | 14,576 |
| Virginia | 6 | 14,732 |
| Washington | 6 | 15,606 |
| Delaware | 6 | 15,868 |
| Alaska | 6 | 16,128 |
| Wyoming | 6 | 16,264 |
| Indiana | 6 | 16,459 |
| Idaho | 6 | 16,501 |
| Massachusetts | 6 | 16,533 |
| Maine | 5 | 17,070 |
| Georgia | 5 | 17,565 |
| Hawaii | 5 | 17,637 |
| Montana | 5 | 17,670 |
| Kansas | 5 | 17,727 |
| Oregon | 5 | 18,113 |
| Alabama | 5 | 18,147 |
| Utah | 5 | 18,492 |
| Missouri | 5 | 18,520 |
| South Carolina | 5 | 18,581 |
| Vermont | 5 | 18,927 |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | 18,968 |
| Illinois | 5 | 18,993 |
| Michigan | 5 | 19,241 |
| Ohio | 5 | 19,422 |
| Tennessee | 5 | 19,448 |
| Texas | 5 | 19,775 |
| District of Columbia | 4 | 20,034 |
| Kentucky | 4 | 20,260 |
| Florida | 4 | 20,429 |
| Nevada | 4 | 20,705 |
| New Mexico | 4 | 20,810 |
| Arizona | 4 | 21,003 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | 21,919 |
| Mississippi | 4 | 21,976 |
| West Virginia | 4 | 22,061 |
| New Jersey | 4 | 22,085 |
| California | 4 | 22,113 |
| Maryland | 4 | 22,283 |
| Arkansas | 4 | 22,300 |
| North Carolina | 4 | 22,498 |
| New York | 3 | 32,106 |
Author
Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.
