Seattle ranked as one of the fittest cities in the nation, study finds

Anyone biking, hiking or getting outside in the Seattle area is now part of a nationally-ranked fitness trend.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Elevance Health Foundation released the 2026 American Fitness Index this week, a measure of the country's "fittest" cities. Seattle is ranked number four on the list, which looks at the 100 largest cities in America. Seattle dipped one place after being ranked third on last year's rankings. Portland came in ranked at number 29 on this year's list.

Spokane made the list in 2025 (26th), but was not included in this year's rankings because the is no longer one of the 100 largest cities in America. Arlington, VA, was named the fittest city in America for the ninth consecutive year.

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Here's what you need to know about the fittest cities in America and where Seattle ranks on the list.

How did Washington state rank in the 2026 fitness report?

Seattle is the fourth-fittest city in the nation, according to the report. The city was second overall in the personal health rank, behind only Arlington. It ranked in the top quarter of cities for community and environmental considerations at 17. Seattle scored an overall score of 74.4, not far behind Arlington (85.1) and well above the list's average (50.8). The city scored above the ranking's average on nearly all of the categories.

Nearly 87% of people exercised in the last month, according to the rankings. The city has a high percentage of days with good air quality (69.7%) and spends $382 per resident on parks in the city. You can view the full rankings and categories here.

Spokane was dropped from the rankings this year because it is no longer one of the 100 largest cities in America.

How are the Fitness Index rankings created?

ACSM's Fitness Index evaluates "the "how well the 100 largest U.S. cities support healthy, active lifestyles," according to the report. The rankings are based on 35 indicators across personal health, community infrastructure and environmental categories. Health indicators compared the percentage of people exercising, bicycling or walking to work and eating fruits and vegetables, among other categories. Environmental scores looked at air quality and access to trails and parks. Recreational scores compared the number of playgrounds and outdoor recreational facilities in each city.

Data came from the U.S. Census Bureau, CDC, and EPA sources, along with non-governmental organizations like Smart Growth America, Trust for the Public Land and Walk and Bike Scores.

2026 report focuses on food insecurity and environment

The 2026 report noted that food insecurity rose for the second consecutive year. All but one city (Santa Ana, California) reported higher rates than in 2025.

Air quality varied across cities in the 2026 rankings. On average, cities saw 51% of good air quality days and eight cities reported 10% or fewer days of good air quality. With millions of American living with asthma, air quality poses a significant threat to activity and overall health.

What are the top ten fittest cities in America?

1. Arlington, Virginia
2. Washington, D.C.
3. Minneapolis, Minnesota
4. Seattle, Washington
5. Denver, Colorado
6. San Francisco, California
7. Irvine, California
8. Atlanta, Georgia
9. Madison, Wisconsin
10. Boston, Masschusetts

Zachary Fletcher is a trending news reporter with USA TODAY Network's Washington state team. Keep up with him on X (@zdfletch), BlueSky (@zfletcher.bsky.social) or reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Seattle ranked as one of the fittest cities in the nation, study finds