City Survivability Rankings for Gym

StreetSpring's 2026 analysis ranks the top cities for Gyms across the US by Survivability Scores. See which cities offer the best chances for a Gym to succeed.

•16 min read

Quick Summary

  • Survivability Score: the projected chance a business type lasts two or more years at a specific address
  • The highest-survivability city for Gym is Dallas: 75.19% average survivability
  • 21 of 24 analyzed US metros score above 70% for Gym survivability
  • The lowest-ranked city is Chicago at 73.50%
  • National average chance of lasting two or more years for Gym: 74.0%
  • Data reflects 2026 StreetSpring survivability analysis across 24 US metro areas · Full methodology →

Table of Contents

Summary

According to StreetSpring's 2026 nationwide analysis, Dallas ranks as the #1 city for opening a Gym in the United States, with an average 75.19% chance of surviving more than 2 years. Following close behind are Miami with 74.90%, and New York City with 74.81%. Gyms consistently deliver a 74.0% survivability average across our 24 analyzed metros, with top-ranked Dallas demonstrating the strongest conditions. City-wide statistics are directional, not definitive; the best decision comes from analyzing your specific storefront. Market conditions shift frequently: use StreetSpring's live tool to confirm the current picture before committing to a location.

Survivability ranges reflect best and worst storefront conditions within each city. See our full methodology →

Gyms city survivability range chart: New York City vs Atlanta (2026)

Best-to-worst Gym survivability within individual metros: New York City, Miami, Detroit, Seattle and Atlanta. Each box spans the middle of that metro's range; whiskers are its best and worst locations (2026).

All 24 Cities Ranked for Gyms

Based on StreetSpring's analysis of 24 major metropolitan areas, these cities offer the strongest prospects for Gyms:

#MetroMetro areaChance of lasting two or more years
1DallasDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX75.19%
2MiamiMiami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL74.90%
3New York CityNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ74.81%
4San DiegoSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA74.72%
5BostonBoston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH74.51%
6Los AngelesLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA74.50%
7San AntonioSan Antonio-New Braunfels, TX74.48%
8PhoenixPhoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ74.44%
9San FranciscoSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA74.43%
10PortlandPortland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA74.38%
11OrlandoOrlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL74.35%
12DenverDenver-Aurora-Centennial, CO74.31%
13HoustonHouston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX74.26%
14St Louis74.20%
15Washington DCWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV74.14%
16PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD74.05%
17Tampa BayTampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL74.04%
18CharlotteCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC73.98%
19MinneapolisMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI73.94%
20DetroitDetroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI73.87%
21BaltimoreBaltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD73.76%
22SeattleSeattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA73.64%
23AtlantaAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA73.60%
24ChicagoChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN73.50%

1. Dallas Metro: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

2. Miami Metro: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

3. New York City Metro: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

  • Best locations: 79.0% to 84.0%
  • Average locations: 73.0% to 76.0%
  • Challenging locations: 62.0% to 71.0%

4. San Diego Metro: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA

  • Best locations: 78.0% to 83.0%
  • Average locations: 73.0% to 76.0%
  • Challenging locations: 62.0% to 71.0%

5. Boston Metro: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

6. Los Angeles Metro: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

  • Best locations: 78.0% to 83.0%
  • Average locations: 73.0% to 75.0%
  • Challenging locations: 62.0% to 71.0%

7. San Antonio Metro: San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

  • Best locations: 78.0% to 83.0%
  • Average locations: 73.0% to 75.0%
  • Challenging locations: 63.0% to 71.0%

8. Phoenix Metro: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ

9. San Francisco Metro: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

  • Best locations: 78.0% to 82.0%
  • Average locations: 73.0% to 75.0%
  • Challenging locations: 62.0% to 71.0%

10. Portland Metro: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

11. Orlando Metro: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

12. Denver Metro: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

13. Houston Metro: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX

14. St Louis

  • Best locations: 78.0% to 82.0%
  • Average locations: 73.0% to 75.0%
  • Challenging locations: 62.0% to 71.0%

15. Washington DC Metro: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

  • Best locations: 78.0% to 83.0%
  • Average locations: 72.0% to 75.0%
  • Challenging locations: 60.0% to 70.0%

16. Philadelphia Metro: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

17. Tampa Bay Metro: Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

  • Best locations: 78.0% to 82.0%
  • Average locations: 73.0% to 75.0%
  • Challenging locations: 62.0% to 70.0%

18. Charlotte Metro: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

19. Minneapolis Metro: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

20. Detroit Metro: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

21. Baltimore Metro: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD

22. Seattle Metro: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

23. Atlanta Metro: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

24. Chicago Metro: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Key Insights

Cities cluster tightly: The difference between the #1 city (Dallas at 75.19%) and the #24 city (Chicago at 73.50%) is 1.69 percentage points. A 0.3-point gap between Dallas and Miami is small. Address-level differences inside a single metro run much wider for Gyms.

National average: Across all 24 analyzed cities, the average survivability for a Gym is 74.0%.

What Makes These Cities Stand Out?

The top-ranked cities share several characteristics that favor Gyms:

  • Strong survivability signals: Dallas leads with a 75% average chance of lasting two or more years for Gyms: significantly above the national average for this business category.
  • Competition density: The top cities show favorable competitor-to-opportunity ratios for Gyms, meaning lower saturation and higher odds of capturing an underserved customer base.
  • Low market saturation: Top cities for Gyms have fewer direct competitors per square mile than lower-ranked metros, leaving meaningful whitespace for well-positioned new entrants.
  • Supply chain access: Cities at the top of this ranking benefit from mature supplier networks for this category, reducing operating costs and inventory lead times.

StreetSpring uses AI to predict business survivability across U.S. neighborhoods, trusted by real estate professionals and entrepreneurs nationwide. Our models draw from one of the most comprehensive commercial real estate datasets ever assembled. These forecasts are generated by our exclusive analytical framework, built from the ground up for commercial real estate.

Best Neighborhoods Across the Spectrum

National rankings tell only part of the story. Even cities further down the list contain neighborhoods where Gyms thrive. A few examples:

Dallas: ranked #1 nationally: the strongest market for Gyms

  • Monticello (83% survivability)
  • Oak-Lawn (82% survivability)
  • Pioneer (81% survivability)
  • Fairmount (81% survivability)
  • South-Poly (81% survivability)

See full neighborhood rankings for Dallas →

Houston: ranked #13 of 24: a middle-of-the-pack national market

  • Hidden-Valley (81% survivability)
  • Carverdale (80% survivability)
  • Greater-Heights (80% survivability)
  • Neartown-Montrose (79% survivability)
  • Spring-Branch-North (79% survivability)

See full neighborhood rankings for Houston →

Chicago: ranked #24 of 24: among the lower-ranked national markets

  • West-Lawn (74% survivability)
  • Chinatown (73% survivability)
  • East-Pilsen (72% survivability)
  • Dearborn-Park (72% survivability)
  • The-Villa (72% survivability)

See full neighborhood rankings for Chicago →

Don't let a city's national rank deter exploration: every city has neighborhoods that buck the city-wide average.

City-specific guides: For detailed neighborhood-level analysis, explore our city guides:

National guides:

How current is this ranking?

Rankings are updated quarterly. The current data reflects StreetSpring's 2026 analysis, with the next full dataset refresh scheduled for Q3 2026. As market conditions shift across major metros, individual city scores can move meaningfully between updates: particularly for Gyms, where local competition density and consumer spending patterns respond quickly to new entrants and neighborhood change. For the most current score at any specific address, use StreetSpring's live survivability tool rather than the static ranking above.

Can a Gym succeed in cities not ranked in the top 10?

Yes, our top 10 ranking reflects cities with the strongest average conditions, but lower-ranked metros can still contain exceptional individual neighborhoods. Many operators successfully open Gyms in cities that don't appear in our top 10. Gyms in particular can find strong performance in secondary markets where the right demographic concentration, household income, and limited direct competition within walking distance align, even outside our highest-ranked cities. StreetSpring's neighborhood-level data surfaces these pockets of opportunity in every city we analyze, regardless of where the city as a whole ranks nationally.

What tools can help me choose the right city for a Gym?

StreetSpring's Survivability Score tool provides address-level predictions for Gyms across all 24 metros we track. For this category specifically, the tool surfaces competition density, consumer spending index for Gyms, and commercial vacancy rates: the factors that most consistently predict whether a Gym will still be operating after two years. You can check any specific address before signing a lease and compare multiple neighborhoods side by side to identify the highest-survivability site within your target city.

Try the Survivability Score tool →

Which US city has the best survivability for Gyms?

Dallas ranks as the #1 city in the US for Gyms survivability in StreetSpring's 2026 analysis, with an average 75% chance of lasting two or more years. This means that across well-selected neighborhoods in Dallas, a Gym has approximately a 75% chance of still operating after two years, above the national average for this category. Miami ranks second, followed by New York City. The full ranking reflects data across 24 major US metro areas: see the complete list above for all scores and neighborhood-level links.

Last reviewed: September 2026 by Robert Koons, Founder & CEO, StreetSpring

Technical note: Aggregated national survivability rankings across all 24 metros are available in machine-readable format for research and integration purposes.

View national technical data

StreetSpring recalculates survivability using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data, so the live score may differ from the static ranges shown here.

Methodology: City rankings aggregate neighborhood-level Survivability Scores (max, average, and min) across all analyzed neighborhoods in each metro area. Rankings reflect average conditions but do not account for variation within cities. Coverage includes 24 major US metropolitan areas: Dallas, Miami, New York City, San Diego, Boston, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Phoenix, San Francisco, Portland, Orlando, Denver, Houston, St Louis, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Charlotte, Minneapolis, Detroit, Baltimore, Seattle, Atlanta, Chicago. StreetSpring scores 500+ business types: 153 base business types, most of them at 5 price points, which is 569 type-and-price combinations you can choose in the tool.