California metro area ranked among top 10 'fitness-friendly' cities in the U.S.

A man cycles past a group participating in a Crossfit class outside of a gym in Los Angeles, California, on July 14, 2020.( APU GOMES/AFP via Getty Images)

by: Iman Palm

Posted: Dec 21, 2022 / 04:54 PM PST

Updated: Dec 21, 2022 / 04:54 PM PST

For those planning to make exercising their New Year’s resolution, a new study from SmartAsset revealed that the city you live in could affect the quality of your workout routine.

SmartAsset, an online financial hub, unveiled the most “fitness-friendly” cities for 2023, and one California metro area made the list.

The San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles area in Northern California was ranked among the most “fitness-friendly” cities and listed as the tenth best city for exercise.

The study compared 304 metro areas in the U.S. across five metrics, including the percentage of residents who walk or bike to work, amount of fitness professionals, the concentration of fitness establishments, the number of fast-food restaurants, and the average hourly wage for personal trainers.

Researchers found that less than 40% of restaurants serve fast food in the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles area, resulting in less temptation for those trying to eat healthier. The area also has 105 fitness establishments per 10,000 workers.

Other “fitness-friendly” cities in California included:

17^th: Chico

19^th: Santa Cruz and Watsonville

20^th: Santa Maria and Santa Barbara

40^th: Redding

Major cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Diego weren’t included on the list.

The most “fit-friendly” city in the nation was Missoula, Montana, followed by Iowa City, Iowa.