Las Vegas may be better known for nightlife than workouts, but a new WalletHub study places it among the top 10 best cities for an active lifestyle in the United States. The Nevada city ranked No. 6 nationally, while Reno, despite its immediate access to mountains, trails, and water, came in at No. 37 out of 100 cities.
The results underline a key theme in the report. Being close to outdoor beauty helps, but cities tend to score higher when they also offer plenty of everyday, in-city opportunities to stay active, along with strong participation and reasonable costs.
Why Las Vegas Ranked So High
WalletHub’s analyst Chip Lupo said the top cities for activity generally do three things well. They offer options for different exercise styles, they stay close to natural spaces for outdoor recreation, and they have populations that are engaged enough to make staying active feel social and sustainable.
In Las Vegas, the strongest performance came in the study’s sports and outdoor category. The city ranked No. 4 nationally in this bucket, which is influenced by the number of recreational facilities per capita. These include amenities such as swimming pools, basketball courts, playgrounds, and other spaces that make it easier to exercise without needing a long drive or a major plan.
Las Vegas also finished No. 18 in the report’s budget and participation category, which weighs factors such as the cost of fitness clubs, the share of inactive adults, and the number of workers who walk or bike to work. A top placement here suggests Las Vegas is not only stocked with facilities, but also benefits from patterns and pricing that help residents actually use them.
Reno’s Outdoor Advantage, and Its Ranking Gap
At first glance, Reno looks like it should rank near the top. Residents can reach skiing, hiking, biking trails, and swimming within a short drive. The city even features downtown paddling at the Truckee River whitewater park, making outdoor activity feel like part of the local identity.
Still, Reno landed at No. 37 overall. The breakdown suggests why. Reno ranked No. 36 in the sports and outdoor category and No. 42 in budget and participation. In other words, the city’s access to nature did not fully offset what the study appears to value strongly: the density of in-city recreation options and the conditions that support frequent participation.
That difference is important for how rankings like these work. Reno’s outdoor assets often require some travel and planning. Las Vegas, by contrast, scored as a place where more people can exercise more often, closer to home, using a wide range of facilities.
The National Top 10, and What It Signals
WalletHub’s top 10 list mixes dense, walkable metro areas with cities known for outdoor culture. The highest-ranked cities were:
Honolulu, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Denver, and Madison.
The list signals that there is more than one path to an “active lifestyle” score. Some cities get there through parks, sidewalks, and daily movement. Others lean on sports culture and a deep bench of facilities. The common thread is access. Residents have many ways to be active without relying on a single option or a perfect weekend plan.
Where Activity Is Hardest, Including North Las Vegas
The report also highlights cities that struggle to support active routines. Notably, North Las Vegas ranked among the least suited for an active lifestyle, despite being next door to a top-10 city. That contrast suggests that small changes in infrastructure, access, and participation can swing results sharply, even within the same region.
The bottom 10 included Garland, Irving, Fort Wayne, Fresno, San Bernardino, Hialeah, Corpus Christi, Newark, Winston-Salem, and North Las Vegas.
For Reno residents who feel their city is built for the outdoors, the ranking may look counterintuitive. But the WalletHub results reflect a specific definition of “active lifestyle” that rewards frequent, convenient access to facilities and a higher level of everyday participation, not just proximity to spectacular nature.
