Fitness facility membership hit an all-time high in 2025, with 81 million Americans belonging to a gym, studio or other fitness facility, a 5.2% increase from 2024. Add in non-members using day passes, guest privileges and other flexible options, and more than 100 million people used a fitness facility last year. All of this is according to newly released research from the Health & Fitness Association (HFA): the 2026 U.S. Health & Fitness Consumer Report: Headline Trends.
The report shows broad-based growth with penetration rising across every demographic. Gen Z adults aged 18 to 24 had the highest membership penetration of any age group at 35.5%. At the same time, older adults were the fastest-growing cohort, with members 65 and older growing 8.6% year-over-year, reflecting the deepening role fitness facilities play in supporting active aging and long-term health.
“What this data makes clear is that fitness facilities can no longer be considered a niche amenity, but rather part of the basic infrastructure that Americans rely on to manage their health, stress and sense of community,” said Anton Severin, vice president of research at HFA. “Even in an uncertain economy, people keep going to the gym because they see real value in what these spaces provide.”
Usage of U.S. fitness facilities also reached new heights with an estimated 7 billion visits in 2025, surpassing the previous pre-pandemic peak set in 2019. Meanwhile, the share of members who did not use their membership at all has fallen from around 10% to 4.6%—an all-time low—pointing to a membership base that is more consistently engaged than at any point on record.
What members are doing inside facilities is evolving as well. Free weight usage—dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells—has grown faster than any other equipment category since 2021. Meanwhile, pickleball’s reach among members continued its exceptional rise, increasing 21.3% from 2024 to 7.6 million members, with nearly two-thirds playing weekly. Yoga remained the most widely practiced activity at 17.7 million members, while Pilates and tai chi continued to grow steadily. Together, these trends reflect a durable shift toward strength, social and mind-body formats, and away from some traditional high-intensity and stand-alone cardio options.
The report also underscores a powerful connection between fitness facility membership and active lifestyles. Nearly half of all members (49.4%) meet or exceed federal aerobic physical activity guidelines, compared to just 24.5% of Americans who don’t use fitness facilities. Members are also seven times less likely to report no physical activity during a typical week than non-users (4.7% vs. 33.1%), reinforcing the critical public health value of fitness facility access.
“The association between membership and active living is one of the most compelling findings in this report,” said Severin. “Fitness facilities are not just places where active people happen to go but environments that support and sustain physical activity habits over time. That distinction matters enormously for how we think about the industry’s role in public health.”
Key findings from the report include:
- 81 million Americans held a fitness facility membership in 2025, while more than 100 million engaged as members or non-member users.
- 26.1% of the U.S. population 6 and older was a member—one of the highest penetration rates in the world.
- Membership penetration rose across every demographic tracked, with Gen Z adults (18 to 24) posting the highest rate at 35.5% and older adults posting the strongest year-over-year gains.
- Members were nearly twice as likely to meet physical activity guidelines as the general population and seven times less likely to report no physical activity at all compared to non-users.
- Nearly 7 billion visits were recorded nationwide, while the share of members not visiting at all fell to an all-time low of 4.6%.
- Free weights lead equipment usage growth; pickleball, yoga and Pilates are expanding rapidly; and traditional high-intensity and stand-alone cardio formats continue to soften.
Learn more about the Health & Fitness Association by visiting https://www.healthandfitness.org/.