Overview
- The American Fitness Index, published Tuesday, July 14, ranks the 100 largest U.S. cities using roughly 31 indicators across personal health and community and environment measures.
- Arlington, Virginia, was named the nation's fittest city for the ninth consecutive year and Washington, D.C., held the No. 2 spot while Minneapolis, Seattle and Denver rounded out the top five.
- The report found food insecurity worsened in 99 of the 100 cities, with the average rate rising from 12.9% in 2025 to 14.4% in 2026, a trend experts link to higher grocery prices and 2025 changes to SNAP funding and work rules.
- Several mid-size cities made large year-to-year gains, led by Richmond (up 20 spots to No. 20), Charlotte (up 19 to No. 42), Virginia Beach (up 18 to No. 61) and Durham (up 17 to No. 49).
- Authors and experts say the rankings show that lower obesity and higher activity track with stronger access to parks, trails and transit, and that modest, targeted investments in maintenance, lighting or trails can boost community activity and health.