Oklahoma City once again ranked the unhealthiest city in the US
Isa AlmeidaThe Oklahoman
July 15, 2026, 5:33 a.m. CT
Oklahoma City is once again ranked at the bottom of the list of the nation’s fittest cities in an updated 2026 ranking
The annual fitness index, published July 14 by the American College of Sports Medicine and Elevance Health Foundation, ranks the nation’s 100 most populous cities on personal health and community/environmental health indicators
Oklahoma City also ranked at the bottom in the 2025 ranking as it has made efforts to invest more in parks and recreation, with MAPS 4 and Better Streets Safer City collectively investing $278 million in the department
For the ninth year in a row, Arlington, Virginia, topped the list, followed by Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Seattle and Denver. Next to OKC, Memphis, Port St. Lucie, Florida, Indianapolis and Lubbock, Texas, rounded out the bottom five on the ranking
According to findings in the ACSM report, the gap between the healthiest and least healthy cities is growing wider, revealing that the nation’s fittest cities consistently combine lower obesity and chronic disease rates with higher physical activity, stronger active transportation and broad access to parks and recreation infrastructure
On the other hand, low-ranked cities like Oklahoma City continue to struggle with higher obesity, lower activity levels, food insecurity and fewer opportunities to integrate movement into daily life, ACSM said
What are the top-10 cities in the 2026 Fitness Index?
The 10 fittest cities in the country share traits like strong active transportation systems, high physical activity rates, broad access to parks and recreation and policies that support active lifestyles
- Arlington, VA
- Washington, D.C.
- Minneapolis, MN
- Seattle, WA
- Denver, CO
- San Francisco, CA
- Irvine, CA
- Atlanta, GA
- Madison, WI
- Boston, MA
What are the bottom-10 cities in the 2026 Fitness Index?
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Memphis, TN
- Port St. Lucie, FL
- Indianapolis, IN
- Lubbock, TX
- Bakersfield, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Wichita, KS
- Detroit, MI
- Tulsa, OK
