Talk about a tale of two cities.
A new report calls New York one of the best cities in the country for an active lifestyle — while a spot right across the Hudson River ranks as one of the worst.
The research by WalletHub puts the brawling Big Apple second in the nation behind beautiful Honolulu — based on metrics like walkability and access to athletic facilities, fields, and hiking trails.
“You can get plenty of exercise simply by walking to your job, restaurants and other destinations,” the report reads of New York’s high score. The city also boasts the second-most playgrounds per capita in the country, per the survey.
“It’s one of the best cities when it comes to the availability of dance schools, swimming lessons, bike rental facilities, basketball courts, soccer fields and ice rinks,” survey authors gushed.
Beyond that, New Yorkers themselves “express a high level of interest in staying active.” This was shown by city dwellers searching terms online that were relevant to workouts and exercise equipment in volumes more than any other city.
“That means if you’re interested in staying active, you’ll probably be able to find a lot of like-minded people who you could potentially work out with.”
The same can’t be said about closeby bottom dweller Newark, NJ, which took slot 93 out of 100 just a PATH ride away. Jersey City, the only other NJ region listed, didn’t fare well either at 84.
Newark was held back most by its access to sports and other outdoor activities. The same went for JC — even as the riverfront burg was named one of the country’s most expensive places to live in recent years.
Also in the general neighborhood, Philadelphia placed 9th out of all American cities for many of the same reasons as New York. Buffalo, the only other Empire State entry, landed at a middling 45th.
Another chilly area, Minneapolis, also broke the top 20 at 17. Its twin city, Saint Paul, was 25 — one slot ahead of No. 26 — San Jose.
North Las Vegas fared worst of all at 100 — once again, showing off a deep divide within one metropolitan area. The real Sin City, directly adjacent, ranked a luckier number four on the list.
Top 10 cities for an active lifestyle
- Honolulu, HI
- New York City
- San Francisco, CA
- Las Vegas, NV
- Chicago, IL
- Los Angeles, CA
- Denver, CO
- San Diego, CA
- Philadelphia, PA
- Cincinnati, OH
