In this article, we will take a look at 20 best US cities for athletes. If you want to skip our detailed analysis of the global sporting and athletic goods market, you can go directly to 5 Best US Cities for Athletes.
The US ranks high among the countries that produce the best athletes in the world. Cities around the country offer a wide variety of athletic facilities, play places, and other strong attractions for athletes. However, some cities in the US are better equipped than others.
Before we talk about the 20 best US cities for athletes, let’s take a look at the sporting and athletic goods market and what some of the key players are up to.
The Sporting and Athletic Goods Market: An Analysis
According to a report by Research and Markets, the global sporting and athletic goods market size was valued at $179.1 billion in 2023. Looking forward, the market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5% during 2023-2027, propelling the market to reach $238.89 billion by the end of the forecasted period. The growing popularity of national and international sporting tournaments and leagues is attracting a strong following worldwide. This has led to a surge in the number of people participating in sports at various levels, which is a key driving factor for the increase in demand for sports and athletic goods.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of people are now looking for ways to create customized workout routines in the comfort of their own homes. The growing trend of home fitness is fueling the demand for sporting and fitness products, which is further augmenting market growth. Additionally, health and wellness trends, celebrity endorsements, and the increasing influence of social media platforms are all driving growth in the global sports goods market.
Key Market Players
The sporting and athletic goods market is highly competitive and consists of regional and international competitors. Some of the biggest companies in the market are NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE), Under Armour Inc. (NYSE:UA), and Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:LULU).
Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) is a multinational athletic apparel retailer and one of the best sporting goods stocks to buy. On September 27, the company announced a five-year strategic global partnership with Peloton Interactive Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON). Through this partnership deal, Peloton Interactive Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON) will become the exclusive digital fitness content provider for Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) while also making Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) the primary athletic apparel partner to Peloton Interactive Inc. (NASDAQ:PTON). This partnership will expand brand awareness and reach for both companies as the two brands collaborate on technical athletic apparel, real-world experiences, and original content to engage with their global community of members in the US, Canada, Germany, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Some of the companies in this space are also offering loyalty programs. By offering rewards and benefits to loyal customers, sporting goods companies encourage them to keep buying their products and engaging with their business. This helps increase sales and profitability while also allowing the sporting and athletic goods companies to build stronger relationships with their customers.
On August 1, Under Armour Inc. (NYSE:UA) announced that US based consumers that are 16 years or older can now enroll and start earning points with Under Armour Inc.’s (NYSE:UA) “UA Rewards” loyalty program. Users can earn points through purchases, product reviews, and UA MapMyRun Challenges. This is the company’s first ever loyalty program, which will allow consumers to connect more deeply with the brand in new and rewarding ways. President and CEO of Under Armour Inc. (NYSE:UA) Stephanie Linnartz said:
“UA Rewards is a diverse program offering value to consumers, including celebrity athlete experiences and exclusive wellness content.”
Some of the companies are investing heavily in research and development to create new and innovative products. On July 26, Forbes reported that NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) has unveiled the new ReactX foam in their InfinityRN 4 running shoes. Developing a new foam that is both high-performing and sustainable was not an easy task according to senior product director Bret Schoolmeester, but NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) has succeeded after five years of research and development. Made using an injection molding process instead of a compression molding process, the ReactX foam offers a 13% increase in energy return to the runner. Energy return is a key goal for any performance foam. Like everyone else, athletes lose energy with every step, which makes it harder to keep going. A foam that returns energy to the runner can help athletes achieve faster times or simply feel better during their workouts.
NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) is one of the top sports companies that are delivering strong financials in 2023. On September 28, NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) reported strong earnings for the fiscal first quarter of 2024. The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.94 and surpassed EPS estimates by $0.18. The company reported a revenue of $12.94 billion.
Now that we have looked at what some of the key market players are up to, let’s take a look at 20 best US cities for athletes.
20 Best US Cities for Athletes
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Methodology
In this article, we have listed the 20 best US cities for athletes. To collect data for our list of the best US cities for athletes, we consulted the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) American Fitness Index. We used data obtained for the latest year in their dataset, which is for the year 2023. This database provided us with rankings of fittest US cities in both the personal health sub-score as well as community/environment sub-score.
However, to rank the best US cities for athletes, we used only the community/environment sub-score which ranks the fittest cities based on factors that include built environment, recreational facilities, and policy and funding. We then narrowed down our selection to rank the 20 best US cities for athletes based on their community plus environment rankings in the ACSM American Fitness Index. The 20 best US cities for athletes are listed below in ascending order of their community + environment ranks, according to American College of Sports Medicine.
20 Best US Cities for Athletes
20. Baltimore, MD
First up in our list of 20 best US cities for athletes is Baltimore, Maryland. With a long history as an important seaport, Baltimore is the most populated city in the US state of Maryland. With over 50 recreation centers and an enormous number of parks, Baltimore is one of the best sports cities in America.
Some of the top sporting goods stocks to consider investing in include NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE), Under Armour Inc. (NYSE:UA), and Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:LULU).
19. Richmond, VA
Richmond is the capital city of the US state of Virginia and one of America’s oldest major cities. With more than 170 parks, playgrounds, open spaces, and athletic fields, the city of Richmond is one of the best US cities for athletes.
18. Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati is a city in the US state of Ohio, and home to a great park system for walking, running, hiking, and even biking. Moreover, the city of Cincinnati has a good number of recreational facilities including playgrounds, tennis courts, soccer fields, basketball courts and open fields.
17. St. Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg, a city in the US state Florida, is known for its pleasant weather. It is a popular city for golfing, fishing, boating, and visiting beaches. With 17 recreation facilities, numerous swimming pools, more than 150 parks, and over 70 athletic fields, the city of St. Petersburg is one of the best US cities for athletes.
16. Portland, OR
Portland, a port city and the most populated city in the US state of Oregon, is known for its eco-friendliness as well as its parks, bridges and bicycle paths. With hundreds of parks, athletic fields and courts spread across the city, Portland is one of the best sports cities in 2023.
15. Atlanta, GA
Atlanta is the capital city of the US state of Georgia and home to the Centennial Olympic Park, which was built for the Olympic Games in the 1996 Summer Olympics. The city of Atlanta operates 33 recreational centers and maintains thousands of acres of parkland, and ranks among the 15 best US cities for athletes.
14. Norfolk, VA
With miles of pristine beaches, Norfolk is a waterfront city in southeastern Virginia. Norfolk has a number of community parks that offer facilities for athletic activities, which are also used for events.
13. San Francisco, CA
San Francisco is a cultural, commercial, and financial hub in the US state of California. However, with hundreds of parks, playgrounds and open spaces as well as a good number of athletic fields, basketball courts, and golf courses, San Francisco is one of the best US cities for athletes as of 2023.
12. Seattle, WA
Seattle is a seaport city in the state of Washington that is home to thousands of acres of parkland while being surrounded by water, mountains and evergreen forests. With an extensive park system, and a number of tennis courts, play area, and athletic fields, Seattle is one of the best sports cities in America.
11. Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia is the most populated city in the US state of Pennsylvania and known for its contemporary influence in business and industry, sports, culture, and music. The city of Philadelphia is home to hundreds of parks, recreation centers, and playgrounds.
10. Cleveland, OH
Cleveland is a city in the US state of Ohio that ranks among the top 10 in our list of best US cities for athletes. The city of Cleveland is home to dozens of parks, recreational centers, and athletic fields.
9. Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh, a city in the US state of Pennsylvania, is home to Acrisure football stadium and PNC Park baseball stadium. The city hosted the first World Series as well as the first professional American football game. Pittsburgh is home to a number of athletic fields and courts, as well as over a hundred parks, and so it ranks high among the best US cities for athletes.
8. Chicago, IL
Chicago is the most populated city in Illinois, and the third most populated city in the US. The Chicago Park District, one of the oldest and largest park districts in the US, has more than 200 field houses, over 70 public pools, and dozens of sports and recreational facilities.
7. Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee is a city in the US state of Wisconsin. The city of Milwaukee is the county seat of Milwaukee County, where there are more than 300 athletic facilities available for a variety of uses including lacrosse, baseball, soccer, tennis, football, among others.
6. Boston, MA
Boston, the capital city of the US state of Massachusetts, ranks high among the best US cities for athletes. The city of Boston is home to over 70 game courts and more than 200 city parks, playgrounds, and athletic fields.
Some of the top sporting goods stocks to consider investing in include NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE), Under Armour Inc. (NYSE:UA), and Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:LULU).