Market rankings · West Virginia
Gyms and studios in West Virginia
Every metro area, small-town market and county in West Virginia, ranked by the Groundwork market score for gyms and studios, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 706
- 111 chain locations (16%)
- Official establishments
- 205
- −6.8% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $433.8M
- On memberships, classes and admissions
- Listings per 10k households
- 9.7
- 35% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $614K
- 7% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #43 of 51
- Market score 38 · Lower middle
A site report maps the gyms and studios on map listings around any address in West Virginia by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
There are 706 gyms and studios on map listings in West Virginia as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 16% of them, against 20% across the U.S. That comes to 9.7 for every 10,000 households, 35% below the U.S. rate of 14.9.
Households in West Virginia spend about $433.8M a year on memberships, classes and admissions, or $595 per household, 39% below the U.S. average. Spread across 706 gyms and studios, that is $614K per location, 7% below the U.S. figure of $662K.
Official counts show 205 businesses with payroll classed as fitness centers and recreation instruction in West Virginia in 2023, down 6.8% from 2019. That is one for every 3,554 households, against one for every 1,641 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 8.2% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 20 SBA-backed loans worth $5.1M have gone to businesses classed as fitness centers and recreation instruction in West Virginia.
Among the 50 states and DC, West Virginia ranks #43 for gyms and studios, with a Groundwork market score of 38 (lower middle). Of the 10 scored metro areas in or partly in West Virginia, the Hagerstown-Martinsburg metro area scores highest (78). Of the 5 scored small-town markets in or partly in West Virginia, the Cumberland area scores highest (52).
Every market in West Virginia for gyms and studios
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in West Virginia, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 78 | 97 | 8.2 | $901K | +7.1% | #11 of 387 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 63 | 3,733 | 15.7 | $796K | +3.3% | #76 of 387 |
| 1Wheeling, WV-OH | 54 | 44 | 7.6 | $842K | −3.6% | #142 of 387 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | 53 | 78 | 14.0 | $588K | +6.5% | #156 of 387 |
| 2Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 48 | 144 | 9.5 | $653K | −2.6% | #206 of 387 |
| 3Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 39 | 56 | 11.3 | $552K | −3.6% | #295 of 387 |
| 4Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | 36 | 40 | 10.6 | $536K | −2.3% | #316 of 387 |
| 5Charleston, WV | 33 | 98 | 11.2 | $526K | −4.7% | #336 of 387 |
| 6Beckley, WV | 31 | 45 | 10.0 | $510K | −4.3% | #350 of 387 |
| 7Morgantown, WV | 26 | 90 | 15.7 | $446K | +1.3% | #375 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland, MD-WV | 52 | 35 | 9.1 | $619K | −1.3% | #252 of 535 |
| 1Bluefield, WV-VA | 39 | 39 | 9.6 | $533K | −3.8% | #399 of 535 |
| 2Fairmont, WV | 37 | 35 | 15.0 | $413K | −1.2% | #423 of 535 |
| 3Elkins, WV | 36 | 10 | 9.4 | $591K | −3.6% | #426 of 535 |
| 4Clarksburg, WV | 26 | 47 | 13.2 | $465K | −2.4% | #487 of 535 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Jefferson County, WV | 83 | 24 | 10.5 | $884K | +9.2% | #41 of 2,088 |
| 2Berkeley County, WV | 78 | 33 | 6.5 | $1.1M | +13.7% | #87 of 2,088 |
| 3Preston County, WV | 62 | 7 | 5.5 | $1M | −0.6% | #508 of 2,088 |
| 4Mineral County, WV | 52 | 8 | 7.2 | $852K | −0.4% | #931 of 2,088 |
| 5Putnam County, WV | 51 | 28 | 12.0 | $656K | −1.0% | #999 of 2,088 |
| 6Marshall County, WV | 49 | 6 | 4.8 | $1.1M | −4.4% | #1,076 of 2,088 |
| 7Ohio County, WV | 49 | 17 | 9.3 | $669K | −4.4% | #1,098 of 2,088 |
| 8Mason County, WV | 47 | 5 | 4.9 | $1M | −2.7% | #1,194 of 2,088 |
| 9Lewis County, WV | 36 | 6 | 8.6 | $700K | −3.7% | #1,606 of 2,088 |
| 10Randolph County, WV | 36 | 10 | 9.4 | $591K | −3.6% | #1,609 of 2,088 |
| 11Raleigh County, WV | 36 | 29 | 10.0 | $514K | −3.5% | #1,615 of 2,088 |
| 12Wood County, WV | 36 | 40 | 11.2 | $512K | −2.1% | #1,617 of 2,088 |
| 13Marion County, WV | 35 | 35 | 15.0 | $413K | −1.2% | #1,660 of 2,088 |
| 14Hardy County, WV | 31 | 5 | 8.4 | $596K | +0.7% | #1,752 of 2,088 |
| 15Monongalia County, WV | 30 | 83 | 18.6 | $395K | +2.0% | #1,803 of 2,088 |
| 16Greenbrier County, WV | 29 | 12 | 8.1 | $590K | −4.0% | #1,814 of 2,088 |
| 17Nicholas County, WV | 28 | 8 | 8.5 | $627K | −2.9% | #1,834 of 2,088 |
| 18Jackson County, WV | 28 | 11 | 9.6 | $589K | −1.0% | #1,838 of 2,088 |
| 19Kanawha County, WV | 28 | 95 | 12.4 | $486K | −4.3% | #1,847 of 2,088 |
| 20Brooke County, WV | 26 | 9 | 9.3 | $611K | −6.0% | #1,881 of 2,088 |
| 21Harrison County, WV | 26 | 33 | 12.5 | $496K | −2.5% | #1,884 of 2,088 |
| 22Cabell County, WV | 26 | 48 | 12.2 | $480K | −3.2% | #1,885 of 2,088 |
| 23Upshur County, WV | 19 | 11 | 11.5 | $471K | −0.3% | #1,982 of 2,088 |
| 24Mercer County, WV | 15 | 25 | 10.3 | $509K | −3.4% | #2,016 of 2,088 |
| 25Fayette County, WV | 13 | 16 | 10.0 | $503K | −5.6% | #2,033 of 2,088 |
Show all 55 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Hancock County, WV | 13 | 16 | 12.5 | $466K | −4.5% | #2,034 of 2,088 |
| 27Taylor County, WV | 8 | 13 | 19.7 | $296K | −2.4% | #2,071 of 2,088 |
| 28Wetzel County, WV | 7 | 9 | 14.7 | $377K | −4.6% | #2,076 of 2,088 |
| 29Mingo County, WV | 5 | 9 | 9.7 | $433K | −8.7% | #2,080 of 2,088 |
| 30Braxton County, WV | 3 | 6 | 12.5 | $363K | −4.1% | #2,087 of 2,088 |
| Wayne County, WV | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $2.9M | −4.0% | |
| Logan County, WV | Not scored | 4 | 3.1 | $1.6M | −6.6% | |
| Hampshire County, WV | Not scored | 4 | 4.6 | $1.3M | +4.4% | |
| Boone County, WV | Not scored | 3 | 3.8 | $1.4M | −6.9% | |
| Wyoming County, WV | Not scored | 3 | 3.7 | $1.2M | −7.1% | |
| Lincoln County, WV | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $3.6M | −5.8% | |
| McDowell County, WV | Not scored | 1 | 1.5 | $2.2M | −10.9% | |
| Morgan County, WV | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $2.3M | +5.5% | |
| Barbour County, WV | Not scored | 4 | 6.5 | $706K | −0.3% | |
| Roane County, WV | Not scored | 3 | 5.3 | $858K | −4.8% | |
| Monroe County, WV | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +0.8% | |
| Summers County, WV | Not scored | 2 | 4.3 | $984K | −3.3% | |
| Grant County, WV | Not scored | 1 | 2.3 | $2.4M | +0.4% | |
| Ritchie County, WV | Not scored | 5 | 14.8 | $326K | −4.6% | |
| Webster County, WV | Not scored | 2 | 6.9 | $635K | −7.1% | |
| Tyler County, WV | Not scored | 3 | 9.1 | $670K | −5.0% | |
| Clay County, WV | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.9% | |
| Pocahontas County, WV | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −3.3% | |
| Doddridge County, WV | Not scored | 1 | 3.9 | $1.6M | −1.9% | |
| Pleasants County, WV | Not scored | 1 | 3.6 | $1.7M | −4.1% | |
| Gilmer County, WV | Not scored | 2 | 8.9 | $490K | −4.2% | |
| Tucker County, WV | Not scored | 2 | 7.0 | $780K | −3.1% | |
| Calhoun County, WV | Not scored | 1 | 4.0 | $1.1M | −3.6% | |
| Pendleton County, WV | Not scored | 1 | 4.3 | $1.2M | −4.9% | |
| Wirt County, WV | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.9% |
Markets with fewer than 5 gyms and studios on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many gyms and studios are in West Virginia?
As of September 2026, map listings count 706 gyms and studios in West Virginia. 111 of them (16%) are chain locations. The listings count gyms, fitness studios, martial arts and dance studios. Official counts show 205 businesses with payroll classed as fitness centers and recreation instruction in 2023, down 6.8% from 2019.
How much do households in West Virginia spend on memberships, classes and admissions?
About $433.8M a year, or $595 per household. That is 39% below the U.S. average (an index of 61, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 706 gyms and studios on map listings, it comes to $614K per location. It is estimated from the incomes of the 728,655 households in West Virginia and national spending patterns by income.
How does West Virginia compare with the U.S. for gyms and studios?
West Virginia has 9.7 gyms and studios per 10,000 households, 35% below the U.S. rate of 14.9. Spending per location is $614K, 7% below the U.S. figure of $662K. At the U.S. ratio of gyms and studios to household spending, West Virginia would have about 655, against 706 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 3,554 households, against one for every 1,641 across the U.S. The official count fell 6.8% from 2019 to 2023, against +8.2% for the U.S.
Which market in West Virginia has the highest market score for gyms and studios?
Among 10 scored metro areas in or partly in West Virginia, the Hagerstown-Martinsburg metro area scores highest, at 78 (high). Among 5 scored small-town markets in or partly in West Virginia, the Cumberland area scores highest, at 52 (upper middle). Among 30 scored counties in West Virginia, Jefferson County scores highest, at 83 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. West Virginia scores 38 for gyms and studios (lower middle), #43 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in West Virginia. It maps the gyms and studios on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Top markets for gyms and studios across the U.S. · All business types in West Virginia
Related business types in West Virginia
- Gyms387 listings
- Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios72 listings
- Martial arts and dance studios247 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in West Virginia?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.