See how much downtown Dallas has changed over the last 100 years

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.

This year’s American Fitness Index puts Plano at No. 12 among the country’s 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.

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.

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 “to provide a comprehensive picture of how well cities promote fitness and well-being.”

Arlington, Virginia, tops the index, followed by Washington, D.C.; Minneapolis; Seattle; and Denver.

“The cities that consistently rank at the top aren’t succeeding because of one program or one investment,” Stella Volpe, past president of ACSM and chair of the Fitness Index Advisory Board, says in a press release. “They’ve 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.”

In Plano’s case, the highly rated park system contributes to the city’s healthy environment. In May, Plano landed at No. 1 in Texas and 13th in the U.S. in the annual ParkScore Index. Plano’s No. 13 ranking marked an all-time high for the city.

Every year, land conservation nonprofit The Trust for Public Land rates park systems in the 100 biggest American cities on accessibility, equity, acreage, investment, and amenities.

Here’s how other DFW cities in the American Fitness Index:

• Frisco ranks 32nd (making its index debut).
• Dallas ranks 43rd, up from 46th last year.
• Fort Worth ranks 69th, up from 80th last year.
• Garland ranks 72nd, up from 75th last year.
• Arlington ranks 78th, up from 83rd last year.
• Irving ranks 86th, down from 84th last year.

Among other Texas cities appearing in the American Fitness index are:

• No. 28 Austin, down from No. 21 last year.
• No. 44 Houston, up from No. 49 last year.
• No. 80 San Antonio, up from No. 94 last year.

“Where you live increasingly determines how healthy you are,” Volpe says. “The healthiest cities don’t just encourage exercise — they make movement part of daily life through infrastructure, transportation, and community design.”