Market rankings · Kentucky
Gyms in Kentucky
Markets across Kentucky ranked by the Groundwork market score for gyms, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,167
- 314 chain locations (27%)
- Official establishments
- 390
- All fitness and recreational sports centers · +3.2% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $1.2B
- On memberships, classes and admissions
- Listings per 10k households
- 6.4
- 16% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $1M
- 23% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #39 of 51
- Market score 40 · Lower middle
A site report maps the gyms on map listings around any address in Kentucky 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
Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,167 gyms in Kentucky. Chain locations make up 27% of them, against 28% across the U.S. That is 6.4 per 10,000 households, 16% below the U.S. rate of 7.6.
At $643 per household (35% below the U.S. average), households in Kentucky spend about $1.2B a year on memberships, classes and admissions. Spread across 1,167 gyms, that is $1M per gym, 23% below the U.S. figure of $1.3M. That spending covers all memberships, classes and admissions, which gyms share with other businesses in the trade.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as fitness and recreational sports centers in Kentucky was 390 in 2023, up 3.2% from 2019. That is one for every 4,652 households, against one for every 3,109 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 5.8% over the same years. The official count takes in all fitness and recreational sports centers, not only gyms: yoga, Pilates and fitness studios are counted too. Since fiscal 2022, 45 SBA-backed loans worth $12.2M have gone to businesses classed as fitness and recreational sports centers in Kentucky.
Among the 50 states and DC, Kentucky ranks #39 for gyms, with a Groundwork market score of 40 (lower middle). Of the 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Kentucky, the Cincinnati metro area scores highest (61). Of the 14 scored small-town markets in or partly in Kentucky, the Glasgow area scores highest (61).
Every market in Kentucky for gyms
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Kentucky, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 61 | 637 | 7.0 | $1.4M | +2.7% | #93 of 387 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 51 | 79 | 6.3 | $996K | +8.5% | #187 of 387 |
| 1Bowling Green, KY | 47 | 40 | 5.5 | $1.1M | +9.5% | #226 of 387 |
| 2Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 47 | 390 | 7.0 | $1.1M | +2.9% | #228 of 387 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 40 | 86 | 5.7 | $1.1M | −2.6% | #279 of 387 |
| 3Owensboro, KY | 39 | 26 | 5.7 | $1.1M | +1.3% | #293 of 387 |
| 4Elizabethtown, KY | 38 | 49 | 9.7 | $674K | +2.4% | #306 of 387 |
| 5Lexington-Fayette, KY | 34 | 183 | 8.5 | $877K | +3.4% | #326 of 387 |
| 6Paducah, KY-IL | 34 | 33 | 7.9 | $823K | −1.2% | #328 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Glasgow, KY | 61 | 8 | 3.6 | $1.4M | +2.6% | #131 of 506 |
| 2Richmond-Berea, KY | 55 | 28 | 5.6 | $1M | +7.0% | #205 of 506 |
| 3Pikeville, KY | 54 | 12 | 3.1 | $1.5M | −5.4% | #214 of 506 |
| 4Henderson, KY | 51 | 10 | 4.3 | $1.3M | −0.9% | #241 of 506 |
| 5Frankfort, KY | 49 | 25 | 7.7 | $834K | +3.1% | #273 of 506 |
| 6Somerset, KY | 47 | 15 | 5.7 | $903K | +3.5% | #288 of 506 |
| 7Corbin, KY | 46 | 29 | 5.1 | $911K | +0.1% | #298 of 506 |
| 8Madisonville, KY | 42 | 8 | 4.3 | $1.2M | −0.5% | #341 of 506 |
| 9Danville, KY | 42 | 13 | 6.0 | $911K | +3.6% | #344 of 506 |
| 10Mayfield, KY | 39 | 9 | 6.4 | $845K | +1.4% | #371 of 506 |
| 11Franklin, KY | 39 | 6 | 7.5 | $778K | +5.9% | #374 of 506 |
| 12Murray, KY | 34 | 11 | 7.2 | $730K | +4.9% | #419 of 506 |
| 13Campbellsville, KY | 27 | 13 | 8.9 | $591K | +3.4% | #461 of 506 |
| 14Middlesborough, KY | 4 | 10 | 10.1 | $376K | −4.8% | #506 of 506 |
| Mount Sterling, KY | Not scored | 4 | 2.2 | $2.4M | +3.1% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Oldham County, KY | 76 | 10 | 4.3 | $2.7M | +4.9% | #116 of 1,792 |
| 2Boone County, KY | 74 | 34 | 6.7 | $1.4M | +6.5% | #153 of 1,792 |
| 3Scott County, KY | 71 | 14 | 6.2 | $1.3M | +8.2% | #213 of 1,792 |
| 4Shelby County, KY | 70 | 9 | 4.9 | $1.6M | +6.2% | #231 of 1,792 |
| 5Woodford County, KY | 62 | 7 | 6.5 | $1.2M | +3.7% | #461 of 1,792 |
| 6Meade County, KY | 60 | 5 | 4.5 | $1.6M | +2.2% | #514 of 1,792 |
| 7Pike County, KY | 57 | 6 | 2.5 | $1.9M | −6.4% | #634 of 1,792 |
| 8Bullitt County, KY | 56 | 23 | 7.2 | $1M | +5.0% | #706 of 1,792 |
| 9Kenton County, KY | 54 | 45 | 6.7 | $1.2M | +3.9% | #763 of 1,792 |
| 10Nelson County, KY | 54 | 13 | 6.8 | $955K | +4.8% | #775 of 1,792 |
| 11Laurel County, KY | 51 | 12 | 5.0 | $1.1M | +1.6% | #884 of 1,792 |
| 12Barren County, KY | 50 | 7 | 3.9 | $1.3M | +2.6% | #903 of 1,792 |
| 13Campbell County, KY | 50 | 30 | 7.6 | $1.1M | +2.5% | #924 of 1,792 |
| 14Henderson County, KY | 49 | 8 | 4.3 | $1.3M | −0.9% | #945 of 1,792 |
| 15Madison County, KY | 48 | 24 | 6.5 | $970K | +9.4% | #1,001 of 1,792 |
| 16Mercer County, KY | 47 | 5 | 5.4 | $1.1M | +4.8% | #1,028 of 1,792 |
| 17Jessamine County, KY | 46 | 15 | 7.5 | $980K | +7.8% | #1,064 of 1,792 |
| 18Franklin County, KY | 45 | 15 | 6.6 | $969K | +2.0% | #1,105 of 1,792 |
| 19Pulaski County, KY | 45 | 15 | 5.7 | $903K | +3.5% | #1,109 of 1,792 |
| 20Warren County, KY | 43 | 38 | 6.8 | $947K | +10.6% | #1,165 of 1,792 |
| 21Whitley County, KY | 42 | 5 | 3.7 | $1.2M | +1.6% | #1,183 of 1,792 |
| 22Daviess County, KY | 42 | 24 | 5.8 | $1.1M | +1.5% | #1,184 of 1,792 |
| 23Hardin County, KY | 42 | 45 | 10.1 | $658K | +2.4% | #1,208 of 1,792 |
| 24Logan County, KY | 39 | 6 | 5.5 | $994K | +4.2% | #1,263 of 1,792 |
| 25Jefferson County, KY | 39 | 256 | 7.7 | $928K | +1.6% | #1,266 of 1,792 |
Show all 120 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Breckinridge County, KY | 37 | 5 | 6.2 | $899K | +5.2% | #1,325 of 1,792 |
| 27Graves County, KY | 37 | 9 | 6.4 | $845K | +1.4% | #1,328 of 1,792 |
| 28Hopkins County, KY | 35 | 8 | 4.3 | $1.2M | −0.5% | #1,372 of 1,792 |
| 29Clark County, KY | 35 | 10 | 6.6 | $927K | +2.3% | #1,386 of 1,792 |
| 30McCracken County, KY | 34 | 29 | 10.5 | $633K | −0.5% | #1,417 of 1,792 |
| 31Simpson County, KY | 33 | 6 | 7.5 | $778K | +5.9% | #1,428 of 1,792 |
| 32Christian County, KY | 32 | 17 | 6.6 | $760K | −3.6% | #1,455 of 1,792 |
| 33Fayette County, KY | 31 | 134 | 9.6 | $777K | +2.2% | #1,477 of 1,792 |
| 34Marshall County, KY | 31 | 12 | 9.1 | $686K | −0.1% | #1,481 of 1,792 |
| 35Anderson County, KY | 31 | 10 | 10.4 | $631K | +5.5% | #1,485 of 1,792 |
| 36Marion County, KY | 28 | 5 | 6.5 | $834K | +2.7% | #1,536 of 1,792 |
| 37Calloway County, KY | 28 | 11 | 7.2 | $730K | +4.9% | #1,544 of 1,792 |
| 38Carter County, KY | 27 | 6 | 5.6 | $923K | −1.7% | #1,560 of 1,792 |
| 39Boyle County, KY | 25 | 9 | 7.5 | $765K | +2.9% | #1,596 of 1,792 |
| 40Floyd County, KY | 24 | 6 | 4.1 | $1.1M | −3.9% | #1,603 of 1,792 |
| 41Greenup County, KY | 24 | 9 | 6.1 | $967K | −1.9% | #1,605 of 1,792 |
| 42Grayson County, KY | 22 | 10 | 9.9 | $551K | +3.6% | #1,650 of 1,792 |
| 43Taylor County, KY | 20 | 10 | 9.7 | $544K | +2.9% | #1,668 of 1,792 |
| 44Boyd County, KY | 18 | 14 | 7.3 | $794K | −0.9% | #1,681 of 1,792 |
| 45Harlan County, KY | 18 | 6 | 5.6 | $759K | −7.6% | #1,682 of 1,792 |
| 46Caldwell County, KY | 12 | 5 | 10.0 | $548K | −0.3% | #1,737 of 1,792 |
| 47Mason County, KY | 8 | 8 | 11.2 | $472K | −1.2% | #1,766 of 1,792 |
| 48Bell County, KY | 6 | 10 | 10.1 | $376K | −4.8% | #1,780 of 1,792 |
| 49Knox County, KY | 4 | 10 | 8.5 | $444K | −2.2% | #1,786 of 1,792 |
| Muhlenberg County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 3.3 | $1.7M | −0.9% | |
| Montgomery County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 3.6 | $1.5M | +2.5% | |
| Perry County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 2.7 | $1.8M | −6.4% | |
| Grant County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 3.3 | $1.8M | +4.7% | |
| Rowan County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 4.2 | $1.3M | −1.0% | |
| Lincoln County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 4.1 | $1.2M | +4.6% | |
| Ohio County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 2.2 | $2.4M | +0.8% | |
| Johnson County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 4.4 | $1M | −2.6% | |
| Allen County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 1.2 | $4.3M | +9.5% | |
| Letcher County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 2.4 | $1.6M | −7.0% | |
| Bourbon County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 3.7 | $1.7M | −0.3% | |
| Spencer County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 5.5 | $1.6M | +7.7% | |
| Clay County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $1.5M | −4.1% | |
| Hart County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +4.3% | |
| Wayne County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 2.5 | $1.7M | +0.3% | |
| Harrison County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 5.5 | $1.2M | +4.9% | |
| Adair County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 4.2 | $1.2M | +2.9% | |
| Russell County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 5.3 | $993K | +3.4% | |
| Garrard County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +7.3% | |
| McCreary County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $2M | +1.7% | |
| Rockcastle County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 1.5 | $3.2M | +0.6% | |
| Lawrence County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 3.2 | $1.5M | −3.3% | |
| Casey County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 3.1 | $1.5M | +1.8% | |
| Henry County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 4.9 | $1.2M | +4.8% | |
| Fleming County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 6.8 | $681K | +4.6% | |
| Larue County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 6.7 | $856K | +2.1% | |
| Pendleton County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 3.7 | $1.6M | +1.1% | |
| Trigg County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 6.6 | $872K | +3.1% | |
| Morgan County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 4.1 | $1.1M | +5.0% | |
| Estill County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 5.0 | $912K | −1.4% | |
| Knott County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.9% | |
| Breathitt County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 1.8 | $2.1M | −8.3% | |
| Union County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 5.8 | $887K | −5.9% | |
| Jackson County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.0 | $2.1M | +2.8% | |
| Powell County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 4.2 | $1M | −2.2% | |
| Lewis County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.0 | $2.5M | −1.4% | |
| Bath County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.6% | |
| Webster County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 4.1 | $1.3M | −0.7% | |
| Todd County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 4.4 | $1.4M | +5.6% | |
| Butler County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.6% | |
| Edmonson County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.0 | $2.4M | +5.0% | |
| Washington County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $2.8M | +2.7% | |
| Green County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 6.8 | $746K | +4.6% | |
| Magoffin County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.3% | |
| Owen County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 4.7 | $1.1M | +2.6% | |
| Monroe County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.2 | $2.2M | −1.1% | |
| Martin County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 5.2 | $984K | −4.9% | |
| Carroll County, KY | Not scored | 4 | 9.6 | $614K | +2.9% | |
| Metcalfe County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.4 | $1.9M | +2.9% | |
| Leslie County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.4 | $1.8M | −8.0% | |
| Clinton County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 2.6 | $1.6M | −1.0% | |
| McLean County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 5.5 | $1.2M | −0.8% | |
| Hancock County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 5.5 | $995K | −0.6% | |
| Crittenden County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 8.5 | $577K | −2.2% | |
| Livingston County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.1% | |
| Lyon County, KY | Not scored | 5 | 14.6 | $451K | +5.2% | |
| Gallatin County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 9.2 | $634K | +1.9% | |
| Trimble County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.8% | |
| Bracken County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 8.9 | $746K | +1.3% | |
| Nicholas County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 3.6 | $1.3M | +5.4% | |
| Ballard County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.5% | |
| Lee County, KY | Not scored | 2 | 7.7 | $485K | −0.9% | |
| Elliott County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.9% | |
| Wolfe County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 3.7 | $832K | −4.0% | |
| Fulton County, KY | Not scored | 3 | 11.8 | $317K | −4.5% | |
| Menifee County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +4.8% | |
| Cumberland County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 3.8 | $1M | +2.3% | |
| Carlisle County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.2% | |
| Hickman County, KY | Not scored | 1 | 5.8 | $1.1M | −3.4% | |
| Owsley County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.5% | |
| Robertson County, KY | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +6.6% |
Markets with fewer than 5 gyms on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many gyms are in Kentucky?
There are 1,167 gyms on map listings in Kentucky as of September 2026. 314 of them (27%) are chain locations. The listings count gyms and fitness centers. Official counts show 390 businesses with payroll classed as fitness and recreational sports centers in 2023, up 3.2% from 2019. That count covers all fitness and recreational sports centers (yoga, Pilates and fitness studios included), not only gyms.
How much do households in Kentucky spend on memberships, classes and admissions?
About $1.2B a year, or $643 per household. That is 35% below the U.S. average (an index of 65, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,167 gyms on map listings, it comes to $1M per gym. The spending figure covers all memberships, classes and admissions, not only gyms. It is estimated from the incomes of the 1,814,469 households in Kentucky and national spending patterns by income.
How does Kentucky compare with the U.S. for gyms?
Kentucky has 6.4 gyms per 10,000 households, 16% below the U.S. rate of 7.6. Spending per gym is $1M, 23% below the U.S. figure of $1.3M. At the national ratio of gyms to household spending, Kentucky would have about 897, against 1,167 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 4,652 households, against one for every 3,109 across the U.S. The official count rose 3.2% from 2019 to 2023, against +5.8% for the U.S.
Which market in Kentucky has the highest market score for gyms?
Among 9 scored metro areas in or partly in Kentucky, the Cincinnati metro area scores highest, at 61 (upper middle). Among 14 scored small-town markets in or partly in Kentucky, the Glasgow area scores highest, at 61 (upper middle). Among 49 scored counties in Kentucky, Oldham County scores highest, at 76 (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. Kentucky scores 40 for gyms (lower middle), #39 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 Kentucky. It maps the gyms 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.
Gyms in other states
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Top markets for gyms across the U.S. · All business types in Kentucky
Related business types in Kentucky
- Gyms, studios and classes2,024 listings
- Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios261 listings
- Martial arts and dance studios596 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Kentucky?
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.