Yoga and Pilates Statistics 2026: 30+ Key Data Points
By Mateara . 9 min read . Updated June 2026
Yoga and pilates are among the most-practiced forms of exercise in America, and the data behind them is unusually solid because government surveys track participation directly. This page collects more than 30 fully sourced statistics for 2026: how many people practice, who they are, how large the global market has become, how fast it is growing, and what practitioners spend on classes and gear. Every figure names its source and year. The data draws on the CDC, the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, Yoga Alliance, IBISWorld, and major market researchers.
The short answer
The CDC reports that 16.9 percent of US adults practiced yoga in 2022, with women more than twice as likely as men to practice, 23.3 percent versus 10.3 percent. The Sports and Fitness Industry Association counts 34.2 million US yoga participants and 11.9 million in pilates, and Fortune Business Insights values the global yoga market at 63.82 billion dollars in 2025.
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How many people practice yoga and pilates
The clearest US participation number comes from the CDC. In its National Center for Health Statistics data brief, 16.9 percent of adults practiced yoga in the past 12 months in 2022, making yoga the most common complementary health approach the agency measures.
Counting total participants, the 2024 Topline report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association put US yoga participation at 34.2 million people and pilates training at 11.9 million for 2023, with pilates up 15 percent year over year. Yoga participation among children aged 4 to 17 was 12.3 percent.
For historical scale, the most-cited industry benchmark is the 2016 Yoga in America study by Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal, which counted 36.7 million US practitioners, up from 20.4 million in 2012. It remains the canonical practitioner figure even though it is now dated.
Who practices: demographics
Yoga skews strongly female and younger. The CDC found women, at 23.3 percent, more than twice as likely as men, at 10.3 percent, to practice, and participation falling with age, from 21.3 percent of adults aged 18 to 44 to 8.0 percent of those 65 and older.
Practice also rises with income and varies by background. The CDC reported 23.0 percent participation among adults at 400 percent of the federal poverty level or more, versus 10.4 percent below 200 percent, and the highest rate among Asian adults at 22.5 percent. The 2016 Yoga in America study put the practitioner gender split at about 72 percent female and 28 percent male.
The size of the market
Market researchers size the opportunity in the tens of billions, though estimates vary by how each firm defines the category. Fortune Business Insights valued the global yoga market at 63.82 billion dollars in 2025, projecting 119.69 billion by 2034. The global pilates market is smaller, valued near 11.8 billion dollars in 2025 by Future Data Stats.
Adjacent categories add more. Fortune Business Insights put the global yoga clothing market at 31.93 billion dollars in 2025, and in the United States IBISWorld sized the pilates and yoga studios industry at about 19.0 billion dollars for 2026. Estimates for the yoga mat market alone range from roughly 9.5 billion dollars (Data Bridge, 2024) to 16.7 billion dollars (IMARC, 2025) depending on scope.
Growth and the move online
Reformer pilates and app-based practice are the fastest-moving slices. Future Market Insights projects the pilates reformer market growing at about 8.2 percent a year through 2035, and Grand View Research forecasts online yoga and fitness app segments growing at roughly 10 to 13 percent a year. Grand View also noted that 74 percent of US citizens used at least one fitness app during the pandemic, a shift that largely stuck.
What practitioners spend
The headline spending figure is again the 2016 Yoga in America study, which found US practitioners spend about 16 billion dollars a year on classes, gear, and equipment, up from 10 billion in 2012. The yoga accessories market specifically, covering mats, blocks, straps, and wheels, was valued near 4.57 billion dollars for 2026 by Coherent Market Insights.
For most practitioners the durable purchase is the mat. A dense, long-lived mat like the Manduka PRO Yoga Mat is the kind of one-time buy that outlasts a decade of cheaper replacements.
Manduka PRO Yoga Mat
The gold-standard studio mat with a closed-cell 6 mm surface, lifetime guarantee, and a dense feel that holds position through any practice. Requires an initial break-in wash to activate the full grip, then improves with use.
Sources
CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, Data Brief No. 501, 2022 data published 2024.
Sports and Fitness Industry Association, 2024 Topline Participation Report, 2023 data.
Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal, 2016 Yoga in America Study.
IBISWorld, Pilates and Yoga Studios in the US, 2026.
Fortune Business Insights, Yoga Market and Yoga Clothing Market, 2025. Future Data Stats, Pilates Market, 2025. Data Bridge and IMARC, yoga mat market, 2024 and 2025. Coherent Market Insights, Yoga Accessories Market, 2026.
Future Market Insights, Pilates Reformer Market; Grand View Research, fitness app and yoga market reports.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How many people practice yoga in the US?+
The CDC reports 16.9 percent of US adults practiced yoga in 2022, the most common complementary health approach it measures. By participant count, the Sports and Fitness Industry Association recorded 34.2 million US yoga participants for 2023.
Is yoga more popular among women or men?+
Women, by a wide margin. The CDC found 23.3 percent of women practiced yoga in 2022 versus 10.3 percent of men, more than double. The 2016 Yoga in America study put the practitioner split near 72 percent female and 28 percent male.
How big is the global yoga market?+
Estimates vary by definition. Fortune Business Insights valued the global yoga market at 63.82 billion dollars in 2025, projecting 119.69 billion by 2034. The US pilates and yoga studios industry alone was about 19.0 billion dollars in 2026 per IBISWorld.
Is pilates growing?+
Yes. The Sports and Fitness Industry Association recorded 11.9 million US pilates participants in 2023, up 15 percent year over year, and reformer pilates equipment is projected to grow around 8 percent a year through 2035 by Future Market Insights.
How much do people spend on yoga?+
The most-cited figure is the 2016 Yoga in America study, which found US practitioners spend about 16 billion dollars a year on classes, gear, and equipment, up from 10 billion in 2012. The yoga accessories market was valued near 4.57 billion dollars for 2026.
How does yoga participation vary by age?+
Practice declines with age. The CDC found 21.3 percent of adults aged 18 to 44 practiced yoga in 2022 versus 8.0 percent of those 65 and older. Among children aged 4 to 17, 12.3 percent practiced.