- Wellness
July 20th, 2026
A new report released by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Elevance Health Foundation ranked Atlanta among the top 10 fittest cities in the nation
The 2026 ACSM American Fitness Index analyzed 100 of the largest U.S. cities using 35 evidence-based indicators relating to factors such as personal health, community infrastructure and environmental conditions. Food insecurity and air quality were also highlighted as key health concerns when evaluating the cities
“The Fitness Index provides us more than just a ranking of cities; it gives communities the data they need to identify where gaps exist and which indicators have the greatest impact on long-term health,” said Shantanu Agrawal, MD, chief health officer at Elevance Health, in a July 14 press release
Atlanta ranked 8th for the third consecutive year, between Irving, CA (#7) and Madison, WI (#9), with a 12 personal health rank and a 19 community environment rank. Arlington, VA ranked at the top of the 100 cities for the ninth consecutive year while Oklahoma City ranked last
Other cities featured include Washington, D.C. (#2), Minneapolis (#3), Seattle (#4), Denver (#5), San Francisco (#6) and Boston (#10)
Among the common traits that cities placed in the top 10 shared, according to the ASCM, are strong active transportation systems, high physical activity rates, broad access to parks and recreation and policies that support active lifestyles. Cities higher on the list were also found to have significantly lower obesity rates and chronic health disease indicators compared to lower-ranked cities
“Where you live increasingly determines how healthy you are,” added Stella Volpe, PhD, FACSM, ACSM-CEP, past president of ACSM and chair of the Fitness Index Advisory Board, in the release. “The healthiest cities don’t just encourage exercise — they make movement part of daily life through infrastructure, transportation and community design.”
The 2026 report marks the 19th consecutive ACSM Fitness Index, with Atlanta ranking in the top 10 since 2023 and the top 20 since 2020
