The Most and Least Active Cities in America

[Sparks]

Lexington is quite nice in the winter???? That's news to me.

Same for Oklahoma City.

[Anita18]

It's all the hills

Indeed. My sister lives in SF and in order to get to her apartment, she has to walk up a ton of stairs as well. No elevator.

The lack of space may also be a factor. When everything is more narrow, it's simply more inconvenient to be fat. Where I live, the "garage" is so small that you CANNOT be fat and be able to get out of your car once you've parked. Even I have trouble sometimes and I don't weigh enough to give blood. Of course, depends on the size of the car - I have a Civic and if one wanted to park a SmartCar there, you'd definitely have more leeway in your girth.

[Beefcake]

I'm surprised Portland OR isn't higher than 15

Pfffft, don't pretend ya didn't know that it's a damn national LAW that Portland must be atop any "Best of" list!

No matter how insignificant ... it's probably winning "best city for prettiest garden gnomes" as I type.

But, seriously, this type of study (or poll or whatever it is) give a loose idea about reality, but we all know that they also tend to be random in their criteria ... and tend to ebb and flow according to city and regional perception and reputation.

((( Indianapolis )))

[genevieve]

Pfffft, don't pretend ya didn't know that it's a damn national LAW that Portland must be atop any "Best of" list!

No matter how insignificant ... it's probably winning "best city for prettiest garden gnomes" as I type.

Well, except that they're not here

Seattle is!!!

[MacMadame]

I'm sure weather becomes a factor, but San Francisco and Seattle are both very rainy cities.

I think it depends on what you mean by SF. If you only include the city, you get more rain, but significantly less than Seattle (average 20 in. for SF, 30-ish for Seattle). But if you are talking about the entire metropolitan area, then it's not really that rainy. And most of the rain happens during the rainy season. So, for example, the triathlon season runs April through Sept but there are races as early as Feb and as late as Oct. Rain is rarely a factor on race day.

What I find odd is that SF and Oakland -- two metropolitan areas that bump into each other are 2&3 but San Jose, the 3rd metropolitan area that also bumps up against SF and Oakland, isn't even in the top 10, but is down in 17. I can assure you that the entire area has pretty much the same level of physical activity. In fact, I see more biking in San Jose than SF because it's so hilly in SF and also biking is more dangerous.

[Gazpacho]

In the part of Florida where my dad lives, you'd take your life into your hands to walk any distance from his house, due to traffic and lack of sidewalks.

This is a huge problem. There are many places where you can't walk because of safety, either traffic safety or neighborhood safety.

The level of physical activity has a lot to do with urban planning and infrastructure. When successful, you increase physical activity without conscious effort. New Yorkers don't tend to walk for exercise. They walk to get places. When you're scurrying to work in the morning, the fact that you're exercising doesn't even cross your mind.

I'm sure weather becomes a factor, but San Francisco and Seattle are both very rainy cities.

Seattle yes, but San Francisco is only rainy during one season. Otherwise, San Francisco has some of the best weather anywhere in the world.

What I find odd is that SF and Oakland -- two metropolitan areas that bump into each other are 2&3 but San Jose, the 3rd metropolitan area that also bumps up against SF and Oakland, isn't even in the top 10, but is down in 17. I can assure you that the entire area has pretty much the same level of physical activity. In fact, I see more biking in San Jose than SF because it's so hilly in SF and also biking is more dangerous.

But people in San Jose watch more TV and buy more video games, and that's apparently a measure of physical activity

Lexington is quite nice in the winter???? That's news to me.

Compared to several places on the most active list, it's very nice.

More things in the South are fried, just for the sake of being fried.

I disagree. More things in the South are fried because fried tastes good!

[Prancer]

Seattle's reputation for rain in a little overstated. Buffalo is the rainiest city in the US in terms of days of average rainfall. Even Cleveland averages more rainy days in a year than Seattle--156 to 154.

Then there's the fact that it when it rains in Seattle, it's more of a drizzle than a downpour, which is why Seattle doesn't even come close to being one of the cities with the most rainfall.

[MacMadame]

But people in San Jose watch more TV and buy more video games, and that's apparently a measure of physical activity

That's probably the difference. Being that SJ includes Silicon Valley. I couldn't figure out how each city got it's score though from reading the article.

Anyway, it's dumb. The whole area is pretty much equally active.

[FiveRinger]

People argue here about which fat tastes better: bacon or butter. And exercise is walking from the car to the train. Maybe I should move!!

[chipso1]

Minneapolis has awful weather practically all year, yet they're among the most active. (I still don't buy the criteria, but going along with it). I wonder if active includes shoveling snow?

Except it was completely sunny and 82 degrees here today. We had a tough winter, but this week (and hopefully the rest of the summer) is shaping up to be gorgeous!

ETA: I think Minneapolis/St. Paul is also helped by the high number of people who bike around here: "Minneapolis named #1 bike-friendly city"

[Gazpacho]

When you look at the whole list, it's striking that the bottom half of the list is almost entirely in red states. Only four of the bottom half are in what I consider solidly blue states. The top half of the list is mixed, maybe slightly more blue, but not a big difference. But the bottom half is strikingly red.

I don't have a good explanation for this pattern, just pointing it out.

[ChelleC]

Compared to several places on the most active list, it's very nice.

I'll be sure to remember that during the next ice storm.

[Aaron W]

I'm kind of surprised to see D.C. on the list of most actives. You definitely see a good amount of heavy people around town.

Most of the heavy people are tourists from the southern US and Midwest (or politicians from those regions).

Seriously though, I'm not surprised to see DC high up on the list. The city has installed bicycle tracks on many streets and has a tremendously popular bike sharing program called CaBi. The dense urbanity of the city allows many residents the opportunity to either walk to work or walk to the Metro, as well as walk to many bars, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment venues. And the high number of 20 & 30-somethings seem to be very gym-focused, at least moreso than any other city in which I've lived (Columbus, Houston, and Chicago).

[vesperholly]

Buffalo is the rainiest city in the US in terms of days of average rainfall.

Is that overall precip — snow and rain? Because according to this site, we're top in precip but not in the top 15 for rainfall. Most overcast/least sunny days, Buffalo'd be fighting for the win.

However, we are NOT the snowiest! That honor belongs to ... Rochester.

[manhn]

Never been so I have no basis for this, but I never got the impression that Atlanta and Reno were particularly "healthy". Is Reno that much different from Vegas (which I have been to)?

[Allskate]

Never been so I have no basis for this, but I never got the impression that Atlanta and Reno were particularly "healthy". Is Reno that much different from Vegas (which I have been to)?

Reno is very different from Vegas. Reno is in the Sierra foothills. You can get to ski slopes in less than half an hour. Squaw Valley is less than an hour away. Lots of snowshoeing, hiking, golfing, boating, etc., in the area. A lot of people move there because they want that kind of active lifestyle.

[Kasey]

Living in Reno, I can say, what the heck? Number 6 of "most active cities"? Um, yeah, that's news to me. (We are close to Tahoe, and we certainly have our share of skiing in the winter, hiking in the summer, as well as water sports, but really??)

[Japanfan]

Never been so I have no basis for this, but I never got the impression that Atlanta and Reno were particularly "healthy". Is Reno that much different from Vegas (which I have been to)?

I haven't been to Vegas but my experience of Reno isn't that it is a healthy city at all. There's hardly anyone walking around out side and no bike routes that I noticed - true, it does get extremely hot in the summer - but I was struck by the absence of people on the streets in springtime and summer evenings. In my neighbourhood there are always people out for walks, people with dogs, elderly people taking strolls, and such. Even in the rain. Many of them are Chinese, so perhaps Chinese people are generally more exercise conscious? And there are bikers everywhere you go.

Plus, Reno is full of Mexican food and casinos. When my sister-in-law and her husband go out for an evening, they go to the casino and collect complimentary points which they then use in casino restaurants, which is usually the typical Mexican fare of way too much rice and refried beans, with options like fried Mars bars for dessert.

[Cyn]

Never been so I have no basis for this, but I never got the impression that Atlanta and Reno were particularly "healthy". Is Reno that much different from Vegas (which I have been to)?

I can't speak for Reno, but I can easily see how Atlanta is in the Top 10. In the city itself and in the immediate suburbs, the frequency of people running and/or walking is quite high, not to mention the number of people who work out either on their own or at the gym or fitness centers.

In the most outward suburbs and into the rural areas, however, it's another story. I've lived in both areas in Georgia, and after moving away from Atlanta, I was more than a little surprised at the difference in the number of people I see out and about or hear about exercising or working out.

[Allskate]

Living in Reno, I can say, what the heck? Number 6 of "most active cities"? Um, yeah, that's news to me. (We are close to Tahoe, and we certainly have our share of skiing in the winter, hiking in the summer, as well as water sports, but really??)

Yeah. Number 6 doesn't make sense. But, Reno definitely is different from Vegas. And, when I lived there, neither I nor my friends were spending our time at the casinos. Most of the casinos are in one part of the city. I've never had a fried Mars bar in my life. Most restaurants in the city are not Mexican and it's not like Mexican food is necessarily the most unhealthy option in the world. Reno is actually known more for steakhouses than Mexican food. Not that I'm saying that's the healthiest thing.

There are probably two reasons for Reno's higher rating. First, with the growth of UNR, the university population is a disproportionaly high percentage of the city's population and those people tend to be more active. Second, I have the impression that Reno is one of the most popular retirement areas for active people, especially early retirees.