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Staff Writer
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April 10, 2026
With the endless beach weather demanding our absolute best, it’s no secret Miami locals take their fitness seriously. And if our gyms have been feeling a little crowded lately, a recent study might explain why.
Wellness product company NovaaLab took to 50 of the most populated U.S. cities to find the most muscular, combining data on strength training frequency, annual protein spending and the number of dedicated strength training gyms. According to the numbers, Miami is really putting in the reps, ranking the 4th most muscular city in the nation with a so-called “muscled-up score” of 81.74 out of 100.
While others ranked highly because their residents lift frequently, Miami’s standout strength is access. The study revealed that Miami has 482 dedicated strength training gyms, the most of any city analyzed. That comes down to a staggering 103.73 gyms per 100,000 residents.
To put that into perspective, the runner-up in that category was Atlanta with just 69.28 gyms per capita.
Plus, 43% of Miami locals strength train at least twice per week and spend an average of $1,322 annually on protein (including meat, poultry, fish, and eggs) to keep those muscles fed.
Top 5 “Most Muscular” Cities
So if we have the most gyms by a landslide, who took the top spots overall? Las Vegas stands at #1 with a near-perfect score of 99.50, followed by Tucson and Denver.
Las Vegas, NV: 99.50/100
Tucson, AZ: 92.34/100
Denver, CO: 92.03/100
Miami, FL: 81.74/100
Albuquerque, NM: 80.46/100
Sacramento, CA: 77.40/100
Mesa, AZ: 69.98/100
Washington, DC: 69.66/100
Tampa, FL: 66.02/100
El Paso, TX: 64.68/100
You can find the full ranking here.