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).
