Christina Gough
Research expert covering sports and video gaming
Health & fitness clubs - statistics & facts
Health and fitness clubs across the globe are reshaping lifestyles, offering spaces where wellness, motivation, and modern living intersect. The size of the global fitness and health club market was projected to more than double between 2021 and 2030, exceeding 125 billion U.S. dollars at the end of the decade. While the biggest gym chains tend to vary from country to country, some of the leading fitness club operators in Europe included Basic-Fit and Pure Gym. In the United States, meanwhile, Life Time Inc. was the leading healthy club company, boasting revenue of over 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2024.
While the appeal of home fitness and engaging in alternative physical activities continues to grow, the future of health clubs remains strong. This is driven by their ability to offer community, expert guidance, and immersive wellness experiences that go beyond the living room.
The fitness industry in the United States
The fitness industry certainly appears to be on the up, with the number of health clubs in the United States reaching an all-time high in 2024. Indeed, according to a Statista survey in 2024, a gym membership was the leading fitness and health service purchase among consumers in the United States. This is despite the fact that there has been an increasing popularity in home fitness, initially fueled through necessity during the pandemic, which allows fitness fanatics to stay in shape without leaving the comfort of their own homes. Nevertheless, with the number of memberships at fitness centers and health clubs in the U.S. experiencing a steady rise, it appears that consumers are still sold by the appeal of working out in a fitness club.Keeping fit across the globe
Physical activity levels vary widely across the globe, influenced by factors such as cultural norms, climate, and access to recreational spaces and fitness facilities. A global survey in 2023 assessed the extent to which consumers in selected countries exercised regularly. While over three-quarters of respondents from China regularly engaged in physical activity, this figure dropped to less than 45 percent among respondents from Chile and Japan. Despite this wide spectrum, the market size of the physical activity industry is still worth billions. In North America alone, this sector was worth over 360 billion U.S. dollars.While the appeal of home fitness and engaging in alternative physical activities continues to grow, the future of health clubs remains strong. This is driven by their ability to offer community, expert guidance, and immersive wellness experiences that go beyond the living room.
