Madison named fifth-fittest city in America

MADISON, Wis. (WMDX) – Madison has been named the fifth-fittest city in the country. 

The American College of Sports Medicine puts together an index based on a lot of factors. It includes measurements like air quality, food insecurity, and health issues among residents. 

This is a step up for the state’s capital city: in the 2023 Fitness Index, Madison ranked sixth. 

More than 55% of Madisonians reported being in excellent or very good health. Nearly 85% of residents said they’ve exercised in the last month. 

Madison is known as a bike-friendly city. The Fitness Index shows 11% of residents bike or walk to work. For the 100 cities included in the index, the average in that category is only 3.8%.

The index measures “community factors” too. 95% of Madisonians live within a 10-minute walk of a park. 

Arlington, Virginia was named the fittest city in the country for the seventh year in a row. The top 10 cities were: 

1. Arlington, Virginia 
2. Washington D.C. 
3. Seattle, Washington 
4. San Francisco, California 
5. Madison, Wisconsin 
6. Minneapolis, Minnesota 
7. Denver, Colorado 
8. Atlanta, Georgia 
9. Irvine, California 
10.  St. Paul, Minnesota 

Milwaukee ranked 36th on the list. For the full index, click here.