From pumping iron to gathering dust: the top ten cities with surplus home gym equipment for sale

Ever wondered which UK cities are the most health-conscious?

We’ve done the leg-work and our research reveals those with surplus home gym equipment as residents return to the gym post-lockdown.

Results of the research indicate potential opportunities for aspiring gym owners, as well as revealing consumer spending patterns during the pandemic.

We’ve scoured the marketplace, crunched the numbers and found the Berkshire town of Slough has the most gym and fitness apparatus on offer on eBay. With 2,193 gym equipment listings and a population of 164,046, Slough has the highest population- to-listing ratio of 75.

Bolton was second with 2,289 gym equipment listings and a population of 202,369 – a ratio of 88. Meanwhile, Manchester, which has a total of 4,096 gym equipment listings and a population of 554,400, ranks third with a ratio of 135.

This ranking is based on the number of gym equipment listings per city using e-commerce site, Ebay, the population of the whole city, and the population-to-listing ratio  – results of which might indicate how fitness-focused each UK city is.

Our research has identified the top 50 UK cities with the highest population-to-listing ratio. Other locations that made it to the top 10 include Huddersfield, Wolverhampton, Bradford, Leicester, Warrington, Luton and Milton Keynes, with ratios ranging from 147 to 528.

The top 10 UK cities with the most gym equipment on offer are:

City	Total listings	Population of city	Pop/Listing	Ranking
Slough	2193	164046	75	1
Bolton	2289	202369	88	2
Manchester	4096	554400	135	3
Huddersfield	1155	170269	147	4
Wolverhampton	1308	218255	167	5
Bradford	1287	361046	281	6
Leicester	1311	470965	359	7
Warrington	427	172068	403	8
Luton	515	222907	433	9
Milton Keynes	349	184105	528	10

Not only is this information fascinating in showing which places come out on top, it’s also useful for anyone looking to find gym equipment, whether they’re a seasoned athlete, just beginning their fitness journey or looking to kick-start their own business.

Ryan Kelford, operations manager at Versaclimber UK, commented on the research:

“Since lockdown, there has been a real shift in how people work out, and having access to our own home equipment has become increasingly popular. Having said that, I was surprised to see the list of top ten cities with surplus home gym equipment for sale.

“It’s quite shocking to think that so much expensive equipment is now gathering dust instead of being put to good use. However, it’s good to see that this presents a potential opportunity for aspiring gym owners to get started with a more affordable investment.

“There are certainly challenges with home workouts, and it can be hard to stay motivated, but there are ways you can tackle this, such as finding a dedicated space with limited distractions among them.

“We’re committed to connecting fitness enthusiasts with the tools and resources they need, in order to succeed. By making it easier to find the right equipment, we hope to help people make more informed decisions about their fitness journey and, ultimately, achieve the results they desire.”

Data is correct as of March 2023.