New report from HFA reveals a 20% increase in gym and studio participation, but three in four Americans still fall short of physical activity guidelines — prompting calls for greater access, affordability and policy change.
A record 77 million Americans, or 25% of people aged six and older, were members of a gym, studio, or other fitness facility in 2024, according to new data released by the Health & Fitness Association (HFA). When including both members and non-member users, total fitness facility customers reached nearly 96 million, representing close to one in three Americans (31.0%). The rise in gym and studio participation signals growing interest in structured fitness, with the number of facility members having increased 20% between 2019 and 2024.
Even with this encouraging growth, most Americans still fall short of physical activity guidelines. According to CDC estimates, three in four Americans aren’t meeting recommended levels — highlighting the continued need to expand access and reduce barriers to healthy movement. Affordability remains a key part of that equation. While budget-friendly gym brands have rapidly expanded in recent years, cost is still one of the most commonly cited obstacles to structured exercise.
One proposed solution is the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act, which would allow individuals to use pre-tax dollars from HSAs and FSAs to cover fitness-related expenses, including gym memberships, fitness classes, youth sports fees and equipment. Recently reintroduced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, the bill enjoys broad support — including from nearly nine in 10 Americans, according to recent HFA polling.
“This report signals the impact our industry is already having, and how much more we could do with the right support,” said Liz Clark, the president and CEO of the HFA. “Fitness centers are engines of well-being, connection, and community. But for millions of Americans, the cost of access remains a barrier.”
Additional findings from the report 2025 U.S. Health & Fitness Consumer Report: Headline Trends include:
- Studios were the most popular type of facility, with 23.1 million members in 2024, followed closely by fitness-only gyms with 22.2 million members.
- Average member attendance has stabilized around 1.5 visits per week, down from 2.1 in 2019, reflecting evolving habits as many Americans now supplement gym use with outdoor, at-home, and sport-based physical activity.
- The typical member has trended younger, more male, less affluent, and more ethnically diverse in recent years, reflecting changing engagement patterns across the population.
HFA, the nonprofit trade association representing fitness facilities and suppliers, is calling on policymakers, employers and health care leaders to recognize the industry’s role in addressing the physical inactivity crisis and building a healthier, more active America.
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.
