Talk about a tale of two cities.
A new report ranks New York as one of the best cities for an active lifestyle, while the city on the other side of the Hudson River ranks as one of the worst.
research by wallet hub Based on metrics such as walkability, access to athletic facilities, fields, and hiking trails, the brawling Big Apple ranks second in the country behind beautiful Honolulu.
“Just walking to work, restaurants, and other destinations provides enough exercise,” the report says, noting New York state's high score. The city also boasts the second-highest number of playgrounds per capita in the country, according to the study.
“This city is one of the best when it comes to dance schools, swimming lessons, bike rental facilities, basketball courts, soccer fields, and ice rinks,” the study authors agreed.
What's more, New Yorkers themselves are “expressing a strong interest in staying active.” This is evidenced by the fact that city residents search online for more terms related to workouts and exercise equipment than in any other city.
“So if you're interested in staying active, you'll find a lot of like-minded people you can potentially train with.”
The same cannot be said for nearby bottom dweller Newark, New Jersey. We got 93 out of 100 slots just 1 minute away on PATH. Jersey City, the only other New Jersey state to make the list, also fared poorly, coming in at 84th place.
The biggest drag in Newark was access to sports and other outdoor activities. The same is true of JC, even though the riverside burg was recently named one of the most expensive places to live in the country.
And for general neighborhoods, Philadelphia ranked 9th out of all American cities for the same reason as New York. The only Buffalo to enter the Empire State finished in the middle of the 45th.
Minneapolis, another cold region, also cracked the top 20 at No. 17. Its twin city, St. Paul, ranked 25th, one spot ahead of San Jose, which ranked 26th.
North Las Vegas had the worst score on the 100 score, once again highlighting deep disparities within one metropolitan area. The real Sin City, which is directly adjacent, was lucky enough to rank number four on the list.
Top 10 cities for an active lifestyle
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- new york city
- San Francisco, California
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Chicago, Illinois
- Los Angeles, California
- denver, colorado
- San Diego, California
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- cincinnati, ohio
