From May to September 2026, our research team studied how much it costs a gym to win one new paying member in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. We compiled data from 14 sources, including national advertising cost data, federal wage, population, and regional price data, gym member and owner surveys, national membership dues data, and fitness sales funnel data, then combined them in a weighted model that reflects where members say they come from.
In the sections below, we break down gym member acquisition cost by state, by region, and by marketing channel, along with how many months of dues it takes a gym to earn that cost back.
Average Gym Member Acquisition Cost by State: 2026
The table below breaks down the average cost for a gym to acquire one new member in each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., along with how each state compares to the U.S. average.
| Rank | State | Avg. Cost per New Member | % vs U.S. Average ($230) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $255 | +10.9% |
| 2 | Hawaii | $253 | +10.0% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $253 | +10.0% |
| 4 | New Jersey | $251 | +9.1% |
| 5 | New York | $249 | +8.3% |
| 6 | Washington | $246 | +7.0% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $244 | +6.1% |
| 8 | Maryland | $242 | +5.2% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $240 | +4.3% |
| 10 | Connecticut | $239 | +3.9% |
| 11 | Florida | $238 | +3.5% |
| 12 | Oregon | $238 | +3.5% |
| 13 | Colorado | $237 | +3.0% |
| 14 | Alaska | $236 | +2.6% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $236 | +2.6% |
| 16 | Virginia | $233 | +1.3% |
| 17 | Arizona | $232 | +0.9% |
| 18 | Nevada | $230 | 0.0% |
| 19 | Illinois | $230 | 0.0% |
| 20 | Delaware | $230 | 0.0% |
| 21 | Utah | $228 | -0.9% |
| 22 | Minnesota | $227 | -1.3% |
| 23 | Vermont | $226 | -1.7% |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $225 | -2.2% |
| 25 | Texas | $224 | -2.6% |
| 26 | Maine | $224 | -2.6% |
| 27 | Georgia | $222 | -3.5% |
| 28 | Michigan | $222 | -3.5% |
| 29 | Idaho | $220 | -4.3% |
| 30 | Montana | $218 | -5.2% |
| 31 | North Carolina | $217 | -5.7% |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $217 | -5.7% |
| 33 | South Carolina | $216 | -6.1% |
| 34 | Indiana | $215 | -6.5% |
| 35 | Ohio | $214 | -7.0% |
| 36 | Wyoming | $213 | -7.4% |
| 37 | New Mexico | $212 | -7.8% |
| 38 | Tennessee | $212 | -7.8% |
| 39 | Missouri | $209 | -9.1% |
| 40 | Kentucky | $208 | -9.6% |
| 41 | Nebraska | $208 | -9.6% |
| 42 | Kansas | $207 | -10.0% |
| 43 | West Virginia | $206 | -10.4% |
| 44 | North Dakota | $205 | -10.9% |
| 45 | Alabama | $205 | -10.9% |
| 46 | South Dakota | $204 | -11.3% |
| 47 | Louisiana | $203 | -11.7% |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $202 | -12.2% |
| 49 | Iowa | $202 | -12.2% |
| 50 | Mississippi | $200 | -13.0% |
| 51 | Arkansas | $200 | -13.0% |
The data points to a $55 gap between California and Arkansas, about 27%, that mostly mirrors cost of living. Where members come from still matters more than the state: Google Ads costs about 11 times a referral everywhere. Higher-cost markets usually charge higher dues too, which helps offset the higher CAC.
Average Gym Member Acquisition Cost by Region: 2026
The table below breaks down the average cost for a gym to acquire one new member in each U.S. region, along with the lowest and highest state in each. Regions follow U.S. Census groupings, with D.C. counted in the South, and each regional figure is a population-weighted average of its states.
| Region | Avg. Cost per New Member | Lowest to Highest State |
|---|---|---|
| West | $244 | $212 (New Mexico) to $255 (California) |
| Northeast | $241 | $224 (Maine) to $251 (New Jersey) |
| South | $222 | $200 (Arkansas) to $253 (D.C.) |
| Midwest | $218 | $202 (Iowa) to $230 (Illinois) |
The data makes clear the West is priciest at $244, mainly because California is both expensive and large. The South stretches from $200 in Arkansas to $253 in D.C., so a regional average is a poor stand-in for any one market. The Midwest is cheapest, and no Midwest state clears the $230 national average.
Average Gym Member Acquisition Cost by Channel: 2026
The table below breaks down the average cost for a gym to acquire one new member through each marketing channel, along with the weighted average across all channels.
| Channel | Ad and Marketing Cost | Staff Tour Time | Total Cost per New Member |
|---|---|---|---|
| Referral | $69.00 | $15.11 | $84.11 |
| Meta lead ads | $373.93 | $15.11 | $389.04 |
| Organic search and Google Business Profile | $462.22 | $15.11 | $477.33 |
| Google Search Ads | $929.10 | $15.11 | $944.21 |
| Weighted average | $215.22 | $15.11 | $230.33 |
The data confirms referrals dominate gym acquisition: about two-thirds of new members come that way, which is why the $230 average sits near the referral row, not near Google Ads. Tour staff time is only $15.11 on every channel, so it barely moves CAC. Swap referrals for Google Ads and you pay about 11 times more per member.
Average Gym Member CAC Payback: 2026
The table below breaks down how many months of membership dues it takes a gym to earn back the cost of acquiring a new member through each channel, based on the $69 national average monthly fee.
| Channel | Cost per New Member | Months of Dues to Earn It Back |
|---|---|---|
| Referral | $84 | 1.2 |
| Meta lead ads | $389 | 5.6 |
| Organic search and Google Business Profile | $477 | 6.9 |
| Google Search Ads | $944 | 13.7 |
| Weighted average | $230 | 3.3 |
The data highlights a timing problem: the average member pays back in about 3.3 months, but a Google Ads member needs 13.7 months of dues. About half of new members leave within six months, so only referrals, Meta, and the overall average usually break even before churn. At the $38 median monthly fee instead of $69, those payback windows nearly double, which is why budget gyms feel acquisition cost even harder.
If you’d like a PDF copy of this report or help lowering your member acquisition cost, contact Altus.
Related Reading
- Personal Trainer Client Acquisition Cost: 2026 Benchmarks
- Gym Membership Cost Per Month: State-by-State Analysis 2026
- Average Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) by Industry: 2026 Small Business Report
- Average Cost Per Lead by Small Business Industry: 2026 Analysis
- How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile for AI Search: 2026 Guide
- SEO and GEO for Fitness Businesses
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