Strength training has moved far beyond bodybuilders and elite athletes. Today it’s a part of everyday life with crowded gyms and protein-packed grocery carts. Whether the goal is longevity, aesthetics, or mental resilience, lifting weights has become one of the most popular ways Americans are investing in their health.
At Novaalab, we work closely with athletes every day to help boost performance and recovery through red light therapy. While it’s no secret that Americans are getting stronger, we wanted to know where the passion shows up most clearly.
To do this, we collected strength training and protein-related data for 50 of the most populated cities in the U.S. Using this data, we created a score on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 representing the most muscled-up, and ranked cities accordingly. Here’s where America is really putting in the reps.
Key Takeaways
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Las Vegas, NV, Tucson, AZ, and Denver, CO, are the most muscular cities in America.
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Oklahoma City, OK, Tulsa, OK, and Los Angeles, CA, are the least muscular cities in America.
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New York, NY, Boston, MA, and Chicago, IL, residents spend the most on protein.
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Denver, CO, Las Vegas, NV, and Mesa, AZ, residents do the most strength training.
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Miami, FL, Atlanta, GA, and Las Vegas, NV, are home to the most gyms for building muscle.
Where Americans Are Most Muscled-Up
In certain cities, the signs are hard to miss. Protein is a staple at every meal, gyms are plentiful, and weight lifting is part of the local rhythm. But one city stands out as the clearest expression of that strength-first lifestyle, Las Vegas, NV. Coming in first place with a muscled-up score of 99.50 out of 100, Las Vegas residents didn’t get their physique through any type of luck; rather it was earned through a daily grind filled with hard-hitting workouts and lots of sweat.
For second place, we travel about 400 miles south to Tucson, AZ, with a score of 92.34. In order to build muscle, strength-training exercises are crucial, and we found that 45% of Tucson residents are fitting in their workouts at least twice a week on average.
Coming in third place is Denver, CO, with a muscled-up score of 92.03 out of 100. This is followed by Miami, FL, (81.74), Albuquerque, NM, (80.46), and Sacramento, CA, (77.40) in fourth, fifth, and sixth place, respectively.
Working out is more about simply gaining muscle, however, as strength training exercises can help to reduce body fat, while also improving overall health. Experts share that strength training can also help to strengthen bones, manage chronic conditions, and even enhance your quality of life.
The Cities That Offer the Most for Strength Training
In addition to our overall ranking, we also wanted to shine a light on the cities where residents have the most resources available to help them on this journey to muscle building. It comes as little surprise that Miami, FL, claimed a spot in the top 5 most muscled-up cities as it is home to the most gyms per capita (103.73).
Up next for available gyms is Atlanta, GA, with 69.28 locations per 100,000 residents. This is followed by Las Vegas, NV, with 65.99 gyms per capita, likely contributing to the city’s first overall ranking.
Another aspect of building muscle is consuming protein. Our body naturally requires protein to maintain our muscles, but to build them requires an even higher intake. To gain insight into where people are consuming the most, we analyzed annual spending on meats, poultry, fish, and eggs. Leading the way was New York, NY, with an average annual spend of $1,624.
Boston, MA, follows closely behind with a total of $1,623 spent on protein each year on average. In third place, we have a four-way tie as Chicago, IL, Oakland, CA, San Francisco, CA, and San Jose, CA, residents all spend about $1,552 on protein each year.
Recover Faster with Novaalab
Whether you are striving to achieve New Year’s resolutions or you are continuing a journey of strength training, some workouts leave us more sore than others. When muscles feel stiff and achy, it can be difficult to stick to a workout plan as your body begs for a day off.
Whether you are a beginner to strength training or a professional athlete, the team at Novaalab has you covered. Our red light therapy devices have helped people all around the world as they deliver fast pain relief, targeted recovery, and ultra portable designs so you can get relief anytime, anywhere.
That’s why we partnered with the Chicago Bulls to enhance muscle recovery — all without drugs or invasive procedures, helping them to get back on the court, without lingering pain or stiffness. From the Novaa Light Pad for deep healing to the Novaa Pulse R for targeted relief, we have a wide variety of items in our catalog to choose from to ensure you find the right device for you.
Methodology
In this study, we set out to learn which U.S. cities are home to the most muscular residents. To do this, we collected the annual spend on meats, poultry, fish and eggs by city from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Survey, the percentage of residents who participate in strength training exercises two or more times a week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the number of strength training gyms by city from Google Maps (per 100,000 residents).
Since the data points in this study are in three different formats, we first normalized each number on a scale of 0 to 100. From there, we added the numbers together, while weighting each differently based on importance for muscle building: training frequency (40%), gym density (35%), and protein spend (25%). Finally, those scores were adjusted on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 representing the most muscled-up.
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