“Fittest” Cities in America

Is it a coincidence that 70+ of the world’s best athletes live in Boulder?

By Mary Beth Skylis

Over the past decade, the city of Boulder has been labeled as one of the “fittest” cities in America over and over again, contending with places like Arlington, Virginia, and Seattle, Washington. Boulder is steeped in a wellness culture that attracts people from all around the world. Additionally, the region boasts a supportive infrastructure and phenomenal outdoor access that support the average person’s desire to be fit and active. The city also attracts athletes due to its high altitude and climate. 

High-Altitude Training in Boulder

Anthony Lee, a Boulder-based ultra runner, coach and Topo athlete, began ultra running in the Pacific Northwest in 2013 at age 19. When he felt his athletic success had reached a plateau, he signed up for the High Lonesome 100-Mile Race in Salida, Colorado, which involves running 100 miles through mountainous and high-elevation terrain. After winning the race, Lee decided to move to Colorado permanently to continue his progression as an athlete, feeling that he’d finally found a place that would take his athletic journey to the next level. 

Some motivating factors that brought him to Boulder included the culture, outdoor recreation opportunities, the climate and high-altitude training. Situated at 5,430 feet, Boulder provides athletes with training grounds that challenge lung capacity and fitness on even the best days. 

Across the world, some of the most ambitious athletes train using hyperbaric tents and altitude exposure to increase endurance by boosting VO2 max (the lung’s capacity to utilize oxygen) and the amount of strain the body can tolerate. Boulder’s unique access to high-altitude environments is one reason why athletes from all around the world flock to the area.

A Higher Level of Outdoor Access and Education

Compared to other outdoor meccas like San Francisco, Boulder has world-class access to almost every outdoor sport imaginable. Tommy Campbell, owner of Sky High Climbing School, says, “You have a culture of education [in Boulder], and you have the outdoors. So, there’s a strong emphasis on health, exercise and athletic enrichment. If people aren’t big mountain skiing or resort skiing, they’re rock climbing, mountain biking or rafting the rivers. There’s just so much right here in this little pocket.”

Campbell was born in San Francisco and has spent the past 30 years traveling the globe in pursuit of the best climbing routes on the planet. However, one of the things that surprised him the most about Boulder was the accessibility of the world-class sport—mixed and traditional climbing. 

“It’s not like I have to drive six hours round trip,” he says. “Even when I lived in Turlock, California, you could see the mountains, but it took two hours to get there. So, I think accessibility and the quality of it really surprised me.”  

A History of Athletic Success

Boulder makes wellness accessible to the average person. The city is also home to more than 70 Olympic athletes, several of whom were born and raised in the area, including climbers Margo Hayes and Brooke Raboutou, runner Emma Coburn and cyclist Mara Abbott, among many others.

Hayes became the first woman to rock climb a 5.15a route in 2017. Raboutou placed second in the 2024 Olympics. Coburn is a world champion, world silver medalist, Olympic bronze medalist, three-time Olympian and 10-time U.S. National Champion in the steeplechase. In 2010, Abbott became the first U.S. cyclist to win the Giro d’Italia Femminile, one of the Grand Tours of women’s bicycle racing. Dozens of additional local athletes with similar resumes in their respective fields have created an athletic mecca across the county. 

While these athletes were born here, many moved to Boulder to work with the same coaches, environments, and other training amenities supporting successful athletes. What’s more, medical experts in the region often have a higher level of training in endurance sports, which helps support the health and wellness of the athletes who live and train in Boulder. 

The Intersection of Affluence and Wellness

Another factor that contributes to better fitness and overall wellness relates to affluence. The U.S. Census shows that Boulder County’s median household income is just under $103,000, about $30,000 more than the national median income. As a result, “there are so many exceptional fitness clubs and centers in town. It is diverse, high-quality and tailored to a wide range of athletic interests,” Lee says. 

Moreover, the city caters to people who want to be active. “Boulder is designed with pedestrians and cyclists in mind,” Lee says. “The city has an extensive network of bike paths, pedestrian-friendly streets and open spaces, making it easy to incorporate physical activity into daily life.”

Peer Pressure, Culture and Community-Based Fitness

In a city full of athletes of all elite abilities, it’s easy to get excited about the next athletic endeavor. What’s more, Colorado has a unique outdoor-obsessed culture that tends to attract like-minded folks. The state has historically been known for supporting land conservation efforts. In fact, in the 1960s, Boulder became the country’s first city to tax itself to acquire and manage open spaces. The result provided the area with more than 150 miles of trails. Since the 1800s, the area has prioritized access to those open spaces. 

Today, the same reverence surrounding outdoor spaces exists in the area, creating a fitness culture. “I believe social norms and peer influence are also involved. In Boulder, being fit and active is the norm,” Lee says. “This social pressure, in a positive way, encourages residents to adopt healthy habits and maintain an active lifestyle.”

Kari Sullivan, a Boulder-based personal trainer, found that she felt out of place as a bodybuilder when she moved out to the area in 2013. She felt that there was a strong cultural push towards endurance activities, but the same could not be said for the lifting field. Yet, like Lee, Sullivan attributes Boulder’s “fit” status to Boulder’s culture. “It is very clear that Boulder residents prioritize movement and do so with severe dedication,” she says. “The common excuse of ‘I don’t have time’ doesn’t seem to exist here as most residents make sure that their fitness happens, whatever that looks like for them.”