Arlington Heights Named The 'Fittest City' in Illinois

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Insurify, an online insurance comparison portal, has named Arlington Heights as the state of Illinois' "fittest city" of 2020. The award is presented to a city that demonstrates exceptional dedication to the health and fitness of its residents.

Using the site's database of over two million insurance application, data scientists identified cities with the highest proportion of residents with jobs requiring significant physical activity or jobs that promote health and fitness. This may include park rangers, fitness club managers, dieticians, dancers and choreographers.

Data then was compiled on cities that ranked high on outdoor activities using factors such as the rate of adults reporting leisure-time physical activity and access to recreational goods rentals. Cities with the highest proportion of residents living within a 10-minute walk to a park also were identified. Gyms and other health centers were excluded from consideration because of their possible inaccessibility to lower-income citizens.

The Centers for Disease Control state that physical activity improves mental health and reduces the risks of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. Therefore, access to resources like public parks, nature reserves and other green spaces are instrumental in the well-being of citizens.