Fitness Centers

The 33,200 fitness centers in the US provide exercise equipment, classes, and services that allow members to improve their physical fitness. The main source of fitness center revenue is membership fees. Fitness centers also generate revenue by providing athletic instruction, admission fees for non-member usage, and food and beverage. The industry includes independently-owned centers, chains, and franchises.

Seasonality of Demand

Most fitness centers experience higher membership growth right after the winter holidays, when many people resolve to lose weight or exercise more.

Membership Attrition

Maintaining a stable membership base is a continuing challenge for US fitness centers because cancellations reduce recurring revenue and require operators to invest in attracting replacement customers.

Nov 9, 2026 - Fitness Center Visits Post Strongest Monthly Growth of 2026

• Increasing customer visits are supporting opportunities for US fitness centers to strengthen member engagement and ancillary revenue, according to the Health & Fitness Association's October 2026 FIT Tracker. Average visits per location rose 2.4% year over year in August, the strongest monthly increase of 2026. High-value, low-price gyms led with 3% growth, followed by studios at 2.5% and midmarket gyms at 2%. Luxury club visits declined 1.5%. The differing results show that facility pricing and service models influence performance. Operators with stronger visitation may benefit from improved retention and additional spending on training and other services, while weaker facilities face pressure to demonstrate membership value.
• Life Time Group's third-quarter 2026 revenue increased 14.2% year over year to $893.5 million, while center memberships grew 2.2%, highlighting strong demand for premium fitness services. The results, reported in October 2026, reflect growth in higher average membership dues, newer locations, and increased use of services such as personal training. Center operating expenses rose 14.5%, reflecting the costs of expanded operations and greater utilization. The results suggest opportunities for US fitness center operators to increase revenue per member through premium memberships and additional services, although rising labor, facility, and capital investment costs can constrain profitability.
• Fitness operators reported solid revenue and membership growth in 2025, according to the Health & Fitness Association's 2026 Global Report, released in September. Among 244 participating operators worldwide, representing nearly 27,000 facilities, median revenue increased 10.7% in 2025, while median EBITDA margins reached 22.1%. Recurring membership fees accounted for an average 76.2% of revenue, underscoring the importance of member retention. Multi-site operators reported median revenue growth of 12.2%, compared with 8.6% for single-site businesses, suggesting advantages from scale. The findings indicate favorable conditions for US fitness centers, although rising operating expenses and price-sensitive consumers remain challenges. Operators that control labor costs, retain members, and diversify revenue through training and wellness services may be better positioned to sustain profitability. Results reflect participating global operators rather than the entire US market.
• US fitness centers are struggling to hire qualified personal trainers despite strong industry demand, according to recent research published by the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA). Its 2026 Fitness Hiring Report found that 94% of surveyed gym partners would use a pipeline of pre-vetted, job-ready trainers. Hiring frequently takes more than two weeks and sometimes exceeds a month, with operators citing gaps in applicants' sales, client acquisition, and retention skills. Anytime Fitness reported a shortage of approximately 1,300 coaches across its US locations. For fitness centers, staffing difficulties can constrain personal training revenue, increase recruitment and onboarding costs, and limit service expansion. Operators may benefit from stronger partnerships with certification providers, improved candidate screening, and training programs that emphasize business and customer-service skills alongside technical qualifications.

Industry size & Structure

A typical fitness center operates out of a single location, employs about 22 workers, and generates about $1.3 million annually.

• The fitness center industry consists of 33,200 companies that employ about 746,800 workers and generate $43.5 billion annually.
• The industry includes independently-owned centers, chains, and franchises.
• Large companies include 24 Hour Fitness, Gold's Gym, Life Time Fitness, and New York Sports Clubs.
• There were around 81 million members of health clubs in the US in 2025, according to the Health & Fitness Association.