Gyms are actively improving.
What’s happening: US gym membership reached 81M in 2025, representing a record 26.1% of the population now belonging to a club, per HFA.
On top. Sign-ups surged 5.2% YoY, while total participation topped 100M+ unique gym-goers and 7B visits, both records. Signaling more consistent usage, membership engagement improved, with no-show rates falling from 10% to 4.6% — an all-time low.
All in. A favorite third space, Gen Z drives ~35% of memberships, but older generations are making a comeback — with 65+ the fastest-growing cohort.
Across ages, shared goals—spanning aesthetics, longevity, medical, and social needs—are fueling free weight usage, pickleball, and group formats like yoga, Pilates, and tai chi.
More and more. A win for public health, ~50% of members meet or exceed federal aerobic activity guidelines vs. 24.5% among non-gym-goers.
Shifting the model from access to outcomes, Everything Gyms, Gym-as-Clinics, and Elevated HVLPs are investing in personalization and performance to meet demand.
Looking ahead: With a third of Americans already in the gym, there’s room to grow. As fitness anchors everything from social wellness to preventative health, there’s no way it won’t.
