Employment in fitness and recreational sport centers in 2013

A new year, a fresh start; many Americans set New Year’s resolutions—including fitness goals—once the holiday season ends. You may find your local fitness or recreation center more crowded than usual during the first few weeks of January. Or you may be a first-time visitor. Fifty-three metropolitan areas had more than 100 private-sector fitness and recreational sports centers in 2013.

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Metropolitan areas with 100 or more private-sector fitness and recreational sports centers, 2013 annual averages

Metropolitan Statistical Area	Establishments
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	2,460
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	1,004
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	935
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	827
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	743
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	698
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	675
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	518
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	506
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	491
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	430
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	421
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	354
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	352
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	336
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	329
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	309
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	304
St. Louis, MO-IL	300
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	284
Pittsburgh, PA	279
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	266
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	238
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	235
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	230
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT	230
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	230
Cleveland-Elyria, OH	221
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	221
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	212
Columbus, OH	210
Kansas City, MO-KS	203
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA	201
Austin-Round Rock, TX	193
Raleigh, NC	189
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN	176
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	174
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI	169
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	158
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	148
Richmond, VA	147
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	147
Jacksonville, FL	146
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	142
Oklahoma City, OK	139
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY	130
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV	125
Rochester, NY	121
Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN	120
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA	119
New Haven-Milford, CT	114
Salt Lake City, UT	111
Worcester, MA-CT	106

The number of fitness and recreational sports centers ranged from 106 in Worcester, Massachusetts-Connecticut, to 2,460 in New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York-New Jersey-Pennsylvania. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California, area had 1,004 fitness and rec centers. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin, had 935 centers.

In 2013, about 523,600 people worked at private-sector fitness and recreational sports centers, up from 448,500 in 2001. Sporting goods stores employed 272,800 in 2013, up from 207,800 in 2001.

Employment in sporting and athletic goods manufacturing declined from 2001 to 2013. Employment at sporting goods wholesalers ranged between 44,400 and 50,100 over the 13-year period.

These data are from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. You can get more industry employment data for the nation, states, counties, and metropolitan areas through the QCEW data viewer tool.