Despite the increased memberships, three in four Americans still fall short of recommended physical activity levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
In 2024, a record-breaking 77 million Americans—equating to 25% of individuals aged six and older—were members of health clubs, studios, or other fitness facilities, according to the 2025 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report: Headline Trends released by the Health & Fitness Association (HFA).
When accounting for the total number of fitness facility customers, which includes nonmembers, that number is even higher, approaching 96 million or approximately 31% of the population.
Between 2019 and 2024, membership in the United States has grown 20%, indicating a rising enthusiasm for structured fitness.
In 2024, studios claimed the most members at 23.1 million, followed closely by fitness-only clubs with 22.2 million members.
Despite these numbers, three in four Americans still fall short of recommended physical activity levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This underscores the ongoing need to broaden access and eliminate barriers to healthy movement—particularly affordability.
Low-priced health club chains have expanded rapidly in recent years as membership has skewed younger, more male, less affluent and more ethnically diverse. However, cost remains one of the most frequently cited obstacles to structured exercise.
One potential solution is the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act, which would enable individuals to use pre-tax dollars from Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for fitness-related expenses, such as gym memberships, fitness classes, youth sports fees, and equipment. Reintroduced last month by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, the bill has widespread support from Americans, with nearly nine in 10 expressing approval in recent HFA polling.
The report is the first of a series of US consumer research reports. Upcoming editions will delve into essential topics, including membership demographics, fee structures, attendance trends, and other vital benchmarks. By segmenting the research into targeted installments, HFA seeks to provide timely, actionable insights to guide decision-making within the fitness industry.
Review additional findings from the 2025 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report: Headline Trends, which is free to Premium members and discounted for other members.
This Headline Trends Report marks the first installment in a new research series that will provide deeper insights into how Americans engaged with fitness facilities in 2024. Forthcoming releases will explore key topics such as membership demographics, fees, attendance patterns, and other critical benchmarks. By breaking the research into focused installments, HFA aims to deliver timely, actionable insights to support decision-making across the fitness sector.
This article was a team effort by several HFA experts.
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