Arlington Repeats As America's Fittest City In 2026 ACSM Rankings

ARLINGTON, VA — Arlington has once again been named the nation's fittest city, marking the second consecutive year it has claimed the top spot in the American College of Sports Medicine's annual American Fitness Index and extending its streak to nine consecutive years at No. 1.

The 2026 American Fitness Index, released Tuesday by the American College of Sports Medicine and the Elevance Health Foundation, ranked the nation's 100 largest cities using 35 indicators measuring personal health, community infrastructure and environmental conditions. Washington, D.C., finished second, while Minneapolis, Seattle and Denver rounded out the top five. Richmond posted the largest improvement among all cities, climbing 20 places to No. 20, and Baltimore rose nine spots in this year's rankings.

Healthy Communities Continue To Outperform

Researchers found that the highest-ranked cities consistently report lower obesity and chronic disease rates, higher physical activity levels, stronger active transportation networks and greater access to parks and recreation than lower-ranked communities.

"The cities that consistently rank at the top aren't succeeding because of one program or one investment," said Stella Volpe, chair of the Fitness Index Advisory Board. "They've built systems that support healthier living over time. They are the ones creating environments where physical activity can easily become a part of everyday routines."

The report found that top-ranked cities also have significantly higher bike and walk scores, more trail miles and higher rates of walking, biking and public transit use than lower-ranked cities.

Food Insecurity Worsens Nationwide

Despite gains in some communities, the report highlighted growing challenges across the country.

For the second consecutive year, food insecurity increased nationwide, with 99 of the nation's 100 largest cities reporting higher rates than the previous year. Nationally, more than 14 percent of residents now experience food insecurity, according to the report.

Researchers also found significant disparities in air quality, noting that cities averaged good air quality on about 51 percent of days each year, while eight cities experienced good air quality on 10 percent or fewer days annually. The report said air quality remains an important factor for outdoor physical activity, particularly for the nearly 28 million Americans living with asthma.

Volpe said the findings underscore the growing role communities play in shaping residents' health.

"Where you live increasingly determines how healthy you are," she said. "The healthiest cities don't just encourage exercise — they make movement part of daily life through infrastructure, transportation and community design."