While we all know Madison is one of the best cities to live in (duh), you might not know that it ranked as the fourth fittest city in the United States in 2018! Each year, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) distributes the American Fitness Index, a ranking of America’s 100 largest cities based on several factors. Coming in hot at fourth place, Madison has an overall score of 72.4 out of 100. Cities with high scores typically have more resources that support healthy living and fewer challenges hindering it.
Unsurprisingly, Madison ranked #1 in seven out of thirty-three indicators. That’s more than any other city in the country. The graphic below details those rankings, and we think you’re going to be pretty impressed.
Source: ACSM American Fitness Index 2018 Summary Rankings Report
At the time of the survey, 90.9% of Madisonians had exercised in the last thirty days. But don’t feel guilty about those mid-afternoon naps, because we also scored the highest percentage of residents who get more than seven hours of sleep per day. Work hard, sleep hard.
Part of what makes Madison so active is our outdoor recreation opportunities. Compared to the other cities in the study, Madison has the highest number of parks, basketball hoops, and playgrounds per 10,000 people. We’re also known for being very bike-friendly. Our bike paths, bike lanes, and Madison BCycle’s 30+ stations all provide accessible and easy-to-use transport, meaning you get to enjoy those beautiful views across the city year-round. (Okay, maybe a little less during the winter, but we don’t blame you.
Whether you’re a Sport Club member, use our facilities, or take Group Fitness classes, you’ve not only worked on your own fitness and wellbeing, but proved that we all are #ActiveBadgers. How do you stay fit in Madison? Use the #ActiveBadger hashtag to share how you work out, get active, or even stay relaxed (because we know that a healthy mind is crucial for a healthy body). We can’t wait to see how you PLAY HARD. GET FIT. LIVE WELL.