There is a lot of different criteria when selecting the best gyms for overall BJJ training. Obviously, America is a big country and has lots of different socio-economic factors, some of which are hard to quantify. However, some of the factors are a lot more measurable such as population, average income, and the number of jiu-jitsu academies.
In general, there are a lot of clusters of high level BJJ gyms in places such as San Diego and New York. Although these places have high level instructors, they also have high prices and massive populations to support.
Key Ratings
Gyms per 100,000 people
Quality of instruction
Affordability
Table of Contents
#1 Best City For BJJ – Las Vegas
- 1 gym per 35800 people (18 gyms in total)
- Average yearly membership costs 2.1% of average yearly household income ($120 average monthly cost)
- Standard of instructors 10/10
- Standout gym – Zenith Jiu Jitsu
Sin city has some great coaches including Robert Drysdale at Zenith. The added fact that BJJ is so cheap in Vegas compared to the rest of America just adds another bonus to the already highly acclaimed instructors. The weather cannot be overlooked either, since anyone who trains in the gi knows how much laundry there is to do. The sun will quickly dry your kimono so you don’t have to worry about it once it’s washed.
#2 Best City For BJJ – Oklahoma City
- 1 Gym Per 36100 people (18 gyms in total)
- Yearly average membership costs 2.6% of yearly household income ($120 average monthly cost)
- Standard of BJJ instructors 10/10
- Standout Gym – Rafael Lovato Jr
Oklahoma City has some of the best quality BJJ in the USA. The average monthly cost for BJJ in Oklahoma city was found to be approximately $120 per month, which is the joint cheapest in the country. For a city that has a population of around 650000 there are 18 total BJJ gyms, which is a fantastic amount to choose from. Lastly, Rafael Lovato Jr is a 3 time world no-gi champion and is currently 10-0 in MMA runs his academy in OKC. It should also be noted that its neighboring city Tulsa happens to have a thriving martial arts scene too.
#3 Best City For BJJ – San Francisco (Bay Area)
- 1 gym per 40100 people (22 gyms in total)
- Yearly average membership costs 1.6% of yearly household income ($200 average monthly cost)
- Standard of instructors 11/10 (yes it’s that good)
- Standout Gym – Too many to choose from
It’s almost unfair to put San Francisco on the list. It is an absolute Mecca of BJJ with a massive variety of gyms to choose from such as Kurt Osiander’s Empire, Carley Gracie & Ralph Gracie amongst many, many others. Due to the high wages in the bay area, BJJ is just about as expensive here as it is anywhere in the country. With that being said, the yearly cost is only around 1.6% of a household income on average, which is really good. San Francisco would be #1 or #2 on the list but it’s not really fair to other cities given that if you are poor living in the Bay Area there are not a lot of options for you. The other downside is it takes hours to drive to any of these locations if you’re far away due to the traffic congestion.
#4 Best City For BJJ – Austin, Texas
- 1 gym per 48200 people (20 gyms in total)
- Yearly average membership costs 2% of average yearly household income ($200 average monthly cost)
- Standard of instructors 9/10
- Standout Gym – Brazilian Fight Factory
The state capital of Texas is home to a plethora of BJJ gyms. Whilst the population is just under 1 million people, there are at least 20 gyms in the area. The cream of the crop is Brazilian Fight Factory, which still has a relatively young competition team and is not as renowned as many other gyms featured. With that being said, it’s already put out some elite competitors such as William Tackett and Kody Steele. If this gym is too far for you, there are at least 19 others so it’s no problem!
#5 Best City For BJJ – San Diego
- 1 gym per 75200 people (19 gyms in total)
- Yearly average membership costs 1.8% of yearly household income ($160 average monthly cost)
- Standard of instructors 10/10
- Standout gym – Atos HQ
If your only concern was the standard of instruction available, San Diego would perhaps only be 2nd to San Francisco – and even then it’s not clear cut. San Diego is home to BJJ royalty with Andre Galvao, Clark Gracie and most recently Keenan Cornelius opening his new gym in America’s finest city. The cost of BJJ in San Diego is still relatively cheap, considering the high cost of living in the city.
#6 Best City For BJJ – Miami, Florida
- 1 gym per 27700 people (17 gyms in total)
- Yearly average membership costs 3.33% of yearly household income ($140 average monthly cost)
- Standard of instructors – 10/10
- Standout gym – Fight Sports Miami
The magic city truly has a magical selection of gyms, with one gym per 27700 people, it is one of the most populated BJJ areas in the entire country. The standout gym is run by Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu who is still dominating the BJJ scene entering his 40’s. The only downside to Miami is the cost of BJJ compared to the wages, although if you have disposable income this won’t matter to you so much.
#7 Best City For BJJ – New York City
- 1 gym per 200000 people (36 gyms in total) – approximation
- Yearly average membership costs 2.9% of yearly household income ($200 average monthly cost)
- Standard of instructors – 10/10
- Standout gym – Marcelo Garcia & Renzo Gracie Academy
New York City was very difficult to judge since it is so densely populated. There could well be more gyms that aren’t on google maps or are simply slightly outside of the boundaries that were used. Also because of the expensive rent, NYC gyms are often overcrowded due to the gigantic population. With that being said, you couldn’t find 2 nicer guys who operate 2 of the best schools in the world. You would really struggle to find better academies than MGA or RGA anywhere else.
#8 Best City For BJJ – Orlando, FL
- 1 gym per 15000 people (19 gyms in total)
- Yearly average membership costs 2.9% of yearly household income ($150 average monthly cost)
- Standard of Instructors 9/10
- Standout gym – Alliance
Orlando has a great number of gyms for a small population with 1 gym for every 15000 residents. However, Orlando is pretty spread out, so you won’t actually have a choice if 19 gyms, most likely you’ll have 2 or 3 to pick from. The best gym in Orlando is run by multiple time world champion Bruno Malficine. If you’re on a basic income in this state, BJJ is also kind of expensive, at nearly 3% of the average household income.
#9 Best City For BJJ – Boston, MA
- 1 gym per 36600 people (19 gyms in total)
- Yearly average membership costs 2.2% of yearly household income ($175 average monthly cost)
- Standard of instructors 7/10
- Standout gym – Boston BJJ
Beantown is near the bottom of the list, but #9 for the entirety of America is still not bad. The fact that there are no notable world champions in the city does not help. The cost of BJJ in Boston is reasonably high averaging at around $175 per month, although with high wages in the city, this really isn’t too bad. Boston BJJ is an old school gym and one of the most prestigious in the city.
#10 Best City For BJJ – Los Angeles
- 1 gym per 190000 people (21 gyms in total) – approximation
- Yearly average membership costs 3.3% of yearly household income ($220 average monthly cost)
- Standard of instructors 10/10
- Standout gym – Cobrinha
Los Angeles has some of the best BJJ instructors in the world, but only just makes the list. This is because there are not too many BJJ gyms compared to the population. In addition to this, BJJ is super expensive, pretty much the most expensive anywhere you could point to on a map. Los Angeles also is the home of the have’s and have not’s, so if you’re poor living in LA, it would be difficult for you to find a decent gym to train at. With that being said, there is a lot to choose from in LA and there are some fantastic academies.
