What Mindbody’s healthiest cities report reveals about where you live

Where you live correlates with your wellness in ways that might surprise you. The city you call home is connected to whether you exercise regularly, how well you sleep and manage stress, and whether you feel rooted in your community.

Mindbody’s 2026 Healthiest Cities report surveyed 2,557 adults across the 25 most populous U.S. metros, examining exercise frequency, sleep quality, stress levels, nutrition, and community connection.

Orlando, theme park capital of the world, ranked first. New York, Los Angeles, Houston, and Atlanta rounded out the top five. The surprise isn’t who ranked where but the patterns these cities share about what makes wellness sustainable.

What high-ranking cities have in common

The cities that ranked highest didn’t win on infrastructure alone. They shared traits that make healthy behavior a big part of daily life:

• Low barriers to movement: Orlando had only 2% of residents who skipped exercise entirely. Washington, D.C. had just 5%.
• Strong community ties: 38% of Orlando residents felt extremely connected to their neighborhoods. Phoenix led the nation with 41% reporting strong personal relationships.
• Normalized mental health care: Boston had the highest therapy utilization (30%) and preventative care visits (82%).
• Cultural acceptance of rest: The San Francisco Bay Area led in sleep, with 35% getting eight or more hours per night. Chicago residents were most likely to get consistent seven-hour nights (41%).

How geography shaped habits

Some strengths emerged based on geography and local culture:

• Phoenix led in hydration (51% drinking six+ glasses daily), likely due to desert climate making water a visible priority
• New York ranked second overall despite its “stressed city” stereotype — 32% rarely felt stressed, and 43% practiced meditation or mindfulness
• Los Angeles led in daily exercise (21% working out seven days a week) and fruit/vegetable consumption (31% eating three+ servings daily)
• Washington, D.C. had the highest exercise frequency (36% working out five+ days a week), possibly tied to walkability

What stood out across cities

Though the rankings don’t tell the whole story, some trends emerged in cities where wellness seemed more accessible:

Consistency beats intensity. High-ranking cities didn’t necessarily have extreme fitness routines — they had fewer people skipping exercise altogether. Washington, D.C. had only 5% of residents who didn’t exercise at all.

Community connection matters. Phoenix led the nation with 41% reporting strong personal relationships. If your city lacks built-in community, finding it through group fitness, shared interests, or regular meetups becomes more important.

Normalized care makes a difference. Boston led in preventative care (82% seeing a healthcare provider at least once a year) and mental health support (30% pursuing therapy or counseling). The higher rates suggest that where getting care is normalized, people are more likely to do it.

Climate and culture drive habits. Phoenix’s hydration rates and the Bay Area’s sleep patterns suggest how local environment and work culture shape what becomes routine.

What comes next

The cities where wellness thrives share specific traits: low barriers to movement, strong community ties, normalized mental health care, and daily routines that support rest.

As wellness infrastructure becomes more concentrated in certain metros, these patterns may become more pronounced. Geography shapes your options, but understanding what makes healthy behavior sustainable helps you recognize what matters most: consistency, connection, and access.