30 Fitness Industry Statistics: Growth, Trends & More in 2024
By Dusan Vasic
February 6, 2024
Incorporating enough physical activity into our increasingly sedentary lifestyles is difficult. However, people are more aware nowadays that regular exercise has significant health benefits. That awareness created room for the fitness industry to grow – and these exciting fitness industry statistics will tell us just how much. Read on!
Fitness Stats (Editor’s Choice):
- The COVID-19 pandemic reduced the fitness industry’s market size by 16.24%.
- The digital fitness market is set to reach $26.55 billion in 2026.
- 17% of US gyms were permanently closed due to COVID-19.
- 44% of the fitness industry workforce was left without a job in 2020.
- In 2019, Americans visited gyms and fitness clubs 6.7 billion times.
- The average monthly fitness club membership in the US costs $52.
- Millennials make up 35% of the fitness industry’s customer base.
- Fitness industry job prospects are predicted to grow 39% in the following ten years.
Global Fitness Industry Statistics
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the global fitness and health club market grew to $96.7 billion in 2019.
(Statista)
Prior to the pandemic, the fitness industry had been experiencing steady growth since 2015. Its most significant leap happened between 2017 and 2018, when the industry grew from $87.2 billion to $94 billion. As expected, some of the top fitness clubs, like LA Fitness, ClubCorp, and Life Time, are in the US. LA Fitness had $2.15 billion in revenue in 2019, quickly taking the top spot as the global industry leader.
In 2020, the fitness industry market size dropped to $81 billion, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
(Mordor Intelligence)
The fitness industry – brick-and-mortar clubs and gyms in particular – has been severely impacted by the pandemic and state-imposed restrictions, especially in the US. The global industry experienced a significant drop (16.2%) in market size.
The projected fitness industry CAGR between 2021 and 2026 is 7.21%.
(Mordor Intelligence)
As countries lift strict restrictions, the fitness world is getting back on its feet. The main driving factors for this industry will most likely be the growth of disposable income now that the job market is recovering, increased health awareness, and the possibilities for safe exercising on location.
The global digital fitness market size is expected to reach $26.5 billion in 2026.
(360 Research Reports)
In 2020, the market for fitness wearables that record your health and assist in training regimens was estimated at almost $9.6 billion. With a predicted CAGR of 18.5%, it’s expected to triple by 2026.
Fitness Industry Market in the US: COVID-19 Aftermath
The US fitness industry dropped from an all-time-high revenue of $35 billion in 2019 to only $15 billion in 2020.
(IHRSA)
It’s estimated that the COVID-19 pandemic inflicted around 20 billion dollars’ worth of losses to the US fitness industry’s revenue in 2020. This comes as no surprise, as in some states (e.g., Washington, Oregon, and California), restrictive measures and closures lasted for a year and created a harsh environment to maintain a business. In other states, restrictions were less severe, as they allowed establishments to operate at 50% capacity, move their operations outdoors, or hold online training sessions. Small businesses with excellent insurance fared better, but the industry was still severely hit.
Almost 17% of US gyms and fitness clubs were permanently closed because of the pandemic.
(IHRSA)
According to information from some of the largest payment processors cooperating with the fitness industry, boutique fitness industry statistics paint a grim picture: 19% of boutique studios had to close their businesses permanently in 2020. Another 14% of traditional gyms had to shut down for good.
Seven major sport and fitness companies filed for bankruptcy in 2020.
(Business Insider)
Companies like Cyc Fitness, Yoga Works, Flywheel Sports, Town Sports International, 24 Hour Fitness, Modell’s Sporting Goods, and Gold’s Gym are some of the major business franchises severely weakened by the pandemic.
In 2019, 24 Hour Fitness was an industry leader, earning more than 1.4 billion in revenue. Unfortunately, in 2020 it had to file Chapter 11 and close around 144 locations. Likewise, Town Sports International had to shut down over 100 sites.
44% of the fitness industry workforce lost their jobs in 2020.
(IHRSA)
These fitness industry statistics are unfortunate, and the industry employee count dropped from 3.2 million to 1.8 million. This affected small-business owners as well, and with extended restrictions, some of these job prospects may never recover.
The infection rate in US gyms was 0.002%, out of 49.4 million check-ins from 2,877 locations.
(IHRSA)
According to a study conducted by the University of Florida, thanks to gym patrons abiding by safety guidelines, the number of detected infections was not statistically significant. Fitness industry statistics for 2021 also show that 69% of gym-goers were confident in the safety protocols within their gym.
Fitness and Health Industry Trends
During the pandemic, gym closures caused an increase of 130% in sales of fitness equipment.
(NPD)
Some equipment sales experienced impressive triple-digit growth. Businesses had to fulfill increased orders for items such as yoga mats (146%), stationary bikes (170%), free weights (181%), and weight benches (259%).
The global fitness equipment market is predicted to grow to $14.7 billion in 2028.
(Fortune Business Insights)
Fitness industry trends and statistics show that the market for exercise equipment is currently valued at $10.7 billion, and forecasts show that it will grow at a CAGR of 4.6% in the next seven years.
The fitness apps market is expected to grow by $1.68 by 2024.
(Business Wire)
Forecasts for the fitness apps market are bullish, and the estimated CAGR between 2020 and 2024 is 12%. This software niche’s most crucial driving force will be the increased use of wearables that track your physical performance while exercising.
In 2019, there were around 6.7 billion visits to US health clubs.
(IHRSA)
Fitness industry trends and statistics show positive trends for the industry’s future, as Americans are willing to dedicate time to their health and exercise. More than 27.3 million people visited a gym more than 100 times during the year, while 17.8 million went more than 150 times.
On average, Americans pay $52 for a gym membership.
(IHRSA)
Around 25.9 million Americans, which roughly is two out of five gym members, pay less than $25 per month for their membership. However, a significant number of people – 8.2 million, in fact – are willing to pay more than $100 for a gym membership each month. Thanks to that, health and fitness industry statistics show that the average monthly membership is quite high.
A home gym costs between $1,400 and $5,000 to equip.
(ACMS’s Health & Fitness Journal, IHRSA)
It’s not hard to see how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced how people exercise. Working remotely made it easier for people to join online live or pre-recorded training sessions and exercise at home. Therefore, many were interested in amping up their at-home exercising, either through affordable bodyweight programs, or by decking out entire rooms with workout gear.
68% of Americans plan to continue using online fitness services.
(IHRSA)
Online fitness industry statistics show that the pandemic forced people to adjust to the new norm, and most Americans tried out fitness apps and video-guided exercises. Just under a third of them also participated in a fitness challenge to keep their exercise regular.
94% of Americans plan to return to their gyms.
(IHRSA)
Americans are keen to increase their physical activity again, and 88% are confident in safety precautions taken in their workout establishments. People with preexisting conditions are at an elevated risk of COVID-19, but 60% of them also said they want to exercise more, albeit in safer conditions.
Fitness Demographics
Between 2010 and 2019, women’s gym attendance has risen by 32.2% and men’s by 23.2%.
(IHRSA)
Americans are increasingly getting conscious about their health and physical exercise. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 remains an outlier year for fitness clubs and gyms. Luckily, most men (51%) and women (65%) have a goal of increasing their physical activity, so gyms can also expect some of them to return.
Men pay $54 on average for their fitness and health club memberships, while women spend $50.
(IHRSA)
Men are generally more likely to pay a premium price for club memberships. Statistics on the fitness industry show that more than 65% of people that pay more than $200 per month are men. Women are more conscious about their spending as less than 50% pay more than $100 per month.
Millennials make up the largest share of fitness and health club members in the US, at 35%.
(IHRSA)
Gen X and Baby Boomers are the next age groups that are frequent attendants of fitness and health clubs at 22% and 21%, respectively. Gen Z and the Silent Generation make up 16% and 6% of all gymgoers. However, fitness industry growth statistics show that the last two are among the most growing age groups attending health clubs.
The 6 to 17 age group had the highest increase in memberships from 2010 to 2019 – 69.81%.
(IHRSA)
Health clubs have been attracting more younger adults and children. These generations are followed by 55 to 64-year olds at 42.48% and people older than 65 at 34.16%.
Hispanic people contributed the most to gym and fitness club membership growth, with a 94.5% increase in signups.
(IHRSA)
The numbers of Black and Caucasian gym members have also increased by 24.7% and 25.6%, respectively. Fitness equipment industry statistics show that treadmills are the most popular exercise machine across all ethnic groups, followed closely by free weights.
The largest demographic with health club memberships in the US are Caucasians at 66.3%.
(IHRSA)
Hispanic people follow them, with 12.78%, then Black people (12.3%). People of Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity contribute 7.19%.
Fitness Industry Analysis – Job Prospects
In 2020, the median wage of a fitness instructor and trainer was $40,510 per year.
(US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
As reflected by gym industry statistics, this is a job where employers commonly accept people with practical experience rather than formal education. Most people in the industry start on a payroll of a small business.
As you continue to work, you can specialize and get appropriate certification for the type of training you are holding. The most common fitness instructor certifications are for strength training, yoga, and kickboxing.
The job market for fitness trainers in the US is expected to grow by 39% between 2020 and 2030.
(US Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Fitness industry growth is projected to create around 69,100 job openings for trainers and instructors yearly on average for the next ten years. A significant portion of those job positions is expected to result from part of the current workforce retiring and moving to other industries.
Before the pandemic, in 2019, the fitness industry served more than 184.5 million members.
(Statista)
The industry almost doubled in the decade preceding 2020, as it grew from 119.5 million members in 2009.
The number of fitness and health clubs in the US dropped to just over 32,000.
(Statista)
Before 2020, there were more than 41,000 fitness establishments in the US. Unfortunately, a significant number had to close down. On the plus side, as the country recuperates from the pandemic, the fitness industry growth rate shows an increasing demand from the public that can’t wait to return to their regular exercise regiments.
Fitness Industry in Europe
The European fitness and health club industry is a $36.5 billion market.
(Statista)
The European fitness industry includes everything from sports to gyms and even fitness apps. The sector had 63 million customers across the EU in 2019. The e-health segment of the industry is also on the rise, netting more than $537.8 million in the UK and around $509 million in Germany.
Germany and the United Kingdom have the highest fitness revenue in Europe, with $6.3 billion each.
(Statista)
Fitness industry market research shows that Germany and the UK have significantly larger fitness markets than the other European countries. France has a $2.9 billion market while Italy and Spain sit at around $2.7 billion each.
28% of EU residents exercise more than five hours per week.
(Eurostat)
Unfortunately, 28% of EU residents don’t exercise at all. Another 17% exercise between three and five hours per week and 27% up to three hours. Over 90% of Romania, Denmark, and the Netherlands’ population participate in physical activity outside of work. On the downside, fitness industry stats show that Portugal and Croatia are on the opposite side of the spectrum, with only 45% and 36% of people taking the time to exercise, respectively.