One in every four people in the United States had a fitness facility membership in 2024, a new record high for the fitness industry that reflects the increasing priority a growing number of Americans are placing on their health and wellness.
A total of 77 million Americans aged 6 and above – around 25% of the U.S. population – were members of a gym, studio or other fitness facility in 2024, according to new survey data from the Health & Fitness Association (HFA).
It’s the second consecutive year of over 5% annual membership growth for the fitness industry – in 2023, 72.9 million Americans had a fitness membership while 68.9 million did in 2022, per HFA.
When counting members and non-members, total customer participation at fitness facilities reached 95.9 million in 2024, HFA found. That’s good for 31% of all Americans.
The new data was released Monday as part of HFA’s 2025 U.S. Health & Fitness Consumer Report. It was based on a survey of U.S. citizens designed to be representative of the entire population.
It’s the latest bit of good news for American gyms, studios and health clubs, which have now surpassed pre-pandemic membership numbers by a healthy margin. Memberships at U.S. fitness facilities are up 20% since 2019, underscoring the impressive growth of in-person fitness following the pandemic.
“As Americans navigated inflation and broader uncertainty in recent years, fitness facilities have emerged as more than places to work out – they’ve become essential spaces for structure, community and mental well-being,” HFA vice president of research Anton Severin told Athletech News. “Two consecutive years of nearly 6% member growth industrywide, along with record-high non-member visits, show that even in volatile times, people continue to prioritize habits that help them feel better and stay grounded.”
Studios Lead the Way, But Gyms Are Gaining Ground
Studios were the largest segment of the fitness industry in 2024, with 23.1 million Americans having a studio membership at some point during the year, up 3.1% from 2023.
Another 22.2 million Americans were members of “fitness-only gyms,” defined in the report as fitness facilities that don’t offer racket sports like pickleball or squash. Fitness-only gyms saw the strongest growth of any category, with memberships increasing 7.6% compared to 2023.
Multipurpose clubs – fitness facilities that do offer racket sports (and often other amenities) – had 15.2 million members in 2024, up 4.3% from the previous year.
Member Engagement, Rising Costs Emerge as Challenges
While the HFA report will be music to the ears of most fitness industry stakeholders, it’s not all good news for gyms and studios.
The average member visited a fitness facility 78.5 days per year in 2024 (around 1.5 times per week), according to the report. That’s down significantly from 109.5 days per year (2.1 times per week) back in 2019, the last pre-pandemic year.
According to HFA, this shift reflects “evolving habits as many Americans now supplement gym use with outdoor, at-home, and sport-based physical activity.”
Gyms and studio owners must also contend with rising costs. In 2024, the average monthly membership fee at a fitness facility was $69, up from $65 in 2023, while the median monthly membership fee jumped to $38, up significantly from $30, where it had stayed for most of the past decade.
The sharp increase in median membership fee might be due to some popular high-volume, low-price (HVLP) gym chains increasing prices. Planet Fitness made headlines last summer when it increased its Classic Card membership to $15/month from $10, its first price hike in nearly three decades.
