2026 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report: Headline Trends

2025 marked a new highpoint for consumer engagement with the US fitness facility industry. A record 81 million Americans belonged to a gym, studio, or other fitness facility, pushing membership penetration to 26.1% of the US population ages 6 and older.

The 2026 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report: Headline Trends distills these and many other findings into a concise, visual report designed for operators, suppliers, investors, and stakeholders who need a clear view of where the US market is headed.

Membership trends

• Membership and total consumer penetration across the past decade, including year‑over‑year changes and long‑term growth rates.

• Demographic breakouts by age, gender, income, and race/ethnicity, highlighting where penetration is highest and where growth is accelerating.

• Member churn, new additions, and net gains, including 2025’s decade‑low industry churn rate and rising average membership tenure.

• Member and non‑member usage, total facility visits, and average annual attendance per person.

Facility type trends

• Trends by facility type (fitness‑only, multipurpose, studios, YMCA/YWCA/JCC, fitness‑as‑an‑amenity, and business/corporate).

• Equipment and activity participation, including the continued rise of strength training, racquet sports, mind‑body formats, and coach‑led training.

Physical activity levels

• Links between fitness facility participation and physical activity levels, including adherence to aerobic guidelines.

The 2026 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report is based on an annual national online survey of 18,000 US residents ages 6 and older conducted throughout calendar year 2025 by Sports Marketing Surveys USA as part of the Physical Activity Council study. The sample is balanced to the US population using quotas and weighting for gender, age, income, region, ethnicity, household size, and population density, with results reported on a rolling 12‑month participation basis for people ages 6+. At this sample size, a participation rate of 5% carries a margin of error of approximately ±0.

• 2026 Fitness Industry Benchmarking Report The 2026 Fitness Industry Benchmarking Report is available only to HFA members. The report analyzes…

• August Foot Traffic Posts Strongest Monthly Gain of 2026 HFA’s August FIT Tracker check-in finds broad growth led by HVLP facilities and studios, with…

• FIT TRACKER / MONTHLY CHECK-IN July Fitness-Facility Traffic Stabilizes as Studios Continue to Lead HFA’s first monthly FIT Tracker check-in…