The people of Plano deserve to take a victory lap: The Dallas-Fort Worth suburb has been crowned the fittest city in Texas for 2026.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s American Fitness Index<\/a> puts Plano at No. 12 among the country\u2019s 100 most populated cities, up from 14th place last year, and at No. 1 in Texas, the same spot as last year. Plano ranks 10th in the personal health category and 30th in the community and environment category.<\/p>\n The index shows 86 percent of Plano residents had exercised in the previous month, 67 percent had met aerobic activity guidelines, and 37 percent had met aerobic and strength activity guidelines. All three of those numbers are above the 100-city averages.<\/p>\n The Elevance Health Foundation and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) produce the annual index, which they say combines measures of personal health behavior, chronic disease outcomes, community infrastructure and environmental factors \u201cto provide a comprehensive picture of how well cities promote fitness and well-being.\u201d<\/p>\n Arlington, Virginia, tops the index, followed by Washington, D.C.; Minneapolis; Seattle; and Denver.<\/p>\n \u201cThe cities that consistently rank at the top aren\u2019t succeeding because of one program or one investment,\u201d Stella Volpe, past president of ACSM and chair of the Fitness Index Advisory Board, says in a press release<\/a>. \u201cThey\u2019ve built systems that support healthier living over time. They are the ones creating environments where physical activity can easily become a part of everyday routines.\u201d<\/p>\n