2022’s Best Cities for Crafting

Many of us discovered our inner Martha Stewart during the pandemic. We’re weaving baskets, creating resin jewelry, and decoupaging our dressers. (LawnStarter’s favorite craft project? Turning grass into wall art, of course.)

But whether you’re a needlework novice or a full-blown Etsy-preneur, where you live can make or break the craft hobbyist in you.

To mark National Craft Month this March, LawnStarter ranked 2022’s Best Cities for Crafting. 

We strung together 11 key indicators of an ideal “craft city,” where you can easily access supplies, knit and mingle with local makers, and even learn new crafting techniques.

See which cities are America’s DIY art capitals in our ranking below, followed by some highlights and lowlights. (Make sure to read about out LawnStarter’s Grass Art Contest for a chance to win three free mows!)

Table of Contents

1. City Rankings
2. Highlights and Lowlights
3. Methodology
4. Small Crafts = Big Business
5. LawnStarter Grass Art Contest

City Rankings

See how your city and others fared in our ranking:

OVERALL RANK	City	Overall Score	Access Rank	Community Rank	Education Rank	Events Rank
1	New York, NY	52.11	37	1	2	4
2	San Francisco, CA	46.83	11	7	5	2
3	Miami, FL	38.16	1	45	56	16
4	Seattle, WA	33.91	43	2	18	47
5	Paterson, NJ	32.36	2	142	114	11
6	Atlanta, GA	31.87	108	17	25	1
7	Alexandria, VA	31.66	3	29	11	52
8	Denver, CO	30.12	76	5	22	9
9	Baltimore, MD	29.45	97	23	16	3
10	St. Paul, MN	29.19	34	55	87	5
11	Houston, TX	27.42	149	3	40	23
12	Chicago, IL	27.26	95	8	23	6
13	Austin, TX	26.85	141	4	24	10
14	Portland, OR	24.72	50	6	9	93
15	Orange, CA	24.67	6	84	104	21
16	Minneapolis, MN	24.53	38	13	4	17
17	Fullerton, CA	24.43	7	107	8	39
17	Torrance, CA	24.43	4	173	84	52
19	Philadelphia, PA	23.67	63	12	12	8
20	Garden Grove, CA	23.44	5	173	114	33
21	Jersey City, NJ	23.16	22	76	110	7
22	Santa Ana, CA	23.01	8	110	59	21
23	Huntington Beach, CA	22.24	9	64	78	33
24	Pittsburgh, PA	22.06	16	38	7	51
25	Rochester, NY	22.00	19	66	3	49
26	Long Beach, CA	20.61	25	46	27	19
27	Los Angeles, CA	20.04	146	10	10	14
28	Pasadena, CA	19.36	21	71	15	46
29	Providence, RI	19.34	24	74	17	35
30	Bridgeport, CT	18.93	13	82	144	47
31	Yonkers, NY	18.41	36	165	126	13
32	Anaheim, CA	18.28	46	93	41	15
33	Glendale, CA	17.81	20	130	49	60
34	Lakewood, CO	17.62	27	106	14	56
35	Cincinnati, OH	17.33	30	35	104	55
36	Eugene, OR	17.29	28	33	1	185
37	St. Louis, MO	17.24	15	18	80	180
38	Louisville, KY	17.06	17	130	74	75
39	Buffalo, NY	16.60	47	148	73	18
40	San Diego, CA	16.42	140	9	29	50
41	Sacramento, CA	16.27	56	28	37	41
42	Tacoma, WA	16.26	32	54	34	76
42	Richmond, VA	16.26	45	39	13	82
44	Newark, NJ	16.08	82	74	62	12
45	Fort Collins, CO	16.03	55	36	19	56
46	Colorado Springs, CO	15.92	119	11	57	40
47	Syracuse, NY	15.51	12	130	55	159
48	Oakland, CA	15.10	115	43	6	35
49	Bellevue, WA	15.02	26	41	104	111
50	Orlando, FL	14.96	54	22	114	70
51	Boston, MA	14.91	129	14	46	28
51	Sunnyvale, CA	14.91	33	57	21	120
53	Irvine, CA	14.49	87	49	49	20
54	Vancouver, WA	14.45	29	24	166	144
55	Hollywood, FL	14.38	18	142	89	138
56	Metairie, LA	14.33	10	173	166	183
57	Las Vegas, NV	14.18	49	21	128	106
58	Hialeah, FL	13.79	14	154	119	168
59	Washington, DC	13.77	103	15	28	81
60	Tempe, AZ	13.34	31	115	48	125
61	Pomona, CA	13.24	61	154	98	27
62	Plano, TX	13.15	40	55	128	100
63	Naperville, IL	13.08	48	148	144	65
64	Corona, CA	12.90	65	173	84	29
65	Phoenix, AZ	12.87	160	20	81	25
66	Oxnard, CA	12.81	35	154	158	84
67	Milwaukee, WI	12.70	80	39	112	54
68	Worcester, MA	12.61	91	125	58	26
69	Modesto, CA	12.47	39	115	188	95
70	Honolulu, HI	12.40	58	130	31	77
71	Grand Rapids, MI	12.39	41	99	32	148
72	San Jose, CA	12.38	134	25	36	67
73	Oceanside, CA	12.33	73	121	122	29
74	Escondido, CA	12.18	72	107	140	37
75	Salinas, CA	12.17	23	165	158	136
76	Rockford, IL	12.02	66	87	60	65
77	Dallas, TX	11.78	165	16	68	59
78	Riverside, CA	11.75	92	103	128	29
79	Santa Rosa, CA	11.62	52	107	188	74
80	Fort Lauderdale, FL	11.21	44	61	89	164
81	Akron, OH	11.20	84	48	71	79
82	Tampa, FL	10.97	74	63	67	84
82	Tucson, AZ	10.97	104	31	38	108
84	Ontario, CA	10.87	111	165	119	38
85	Aurora, IL	10.78	70	99	181	64
85	Raleigh, NC	10.78	124	26	44	109
87	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	10.62	116	154	98	42
88	Pembroke Pines, FL	10.57	42	173	128	138
89	Fontana, CA	10.26	109	154	152	42
90	Salem, OR	10.17	62	88	20	152
91	Mesa, AZ	9.95	85	80	97	94
92	Toledo, OH	9.89	81	92	103	91
93	Thornton, CO	9.84	90	165	166	56
94	Aurora, CO	9.79	133	80	144	45
95	Garland, TX	9.71	57	148	158	100
96	Albuquerque, NM	9.62	89	27	96	149
97	Salt Lake City, UT	9.54	101	30	65	135
98	Stockton, CA	9.50	67	154	140	90
99	Dayton, OH	9.49	51	99	152	134
100	St. Petersburg, FL	9.46	93	76	26	123
101	Cleveland, OH	9.43	107	68	47	107
102	New Orleans, LA	9.41	152	42	54	73
103	Springfield, MA	9.40	147	173	166	24
104	Madison, WI	9.32	68	60	42	156
105	Elk Grove, CA	9.25	77	130	140	92
106	Charlotte, NC	9.24	163	19	92	97
107	Arlington, VA	9.10	121	76	98	80
108	McKinney, TX	9.07	100	93	122	86
109	Overland Park, KS	9.00	69	96	158	111
110	Scottsdale, AZ	8.94	157	47	104	67
111	Irving, TX	8.86	117	93	181	72
112	Spokane, WA	8.62	53	53	136	193
113	San Bernardino, CA	8.56	180	130	77	42
114	Tulsa, OK	8.53	138	97	128	69
114	Glendale, AZ	8.53	64	65	144	152
116	Indianapolis, IN	8.42	161	44	88	78
117	Greensboro, NC	8.41	127	88	72	96
118	Arlington, TX	8.30	123	142	94	86
119	Savannah, GA	8.24	131	97	43	99
120	Frisco, TX	8.08	99	115	144	100
121	Kansas City, MO	8.02	179	37	45	111
121	Chandler, AZ	8.02	83	112	119	126
123	Moreno Valley, CA	7.98	178	173	188	29
124	Fort Worth, TX	7.96	177	34	128	86
125	Tallahassee, FL	7.90	105	99	136	116
125	Columbus, OH	7.90	132	71	51	121
127	Joliet, IL	7.85	128	173	166	71
128	Pasadena, TX	7.84	59	173	158	147
128	Omaha, NE	7.84	88	68	53	171
130	Boise, ID	7.73	60	67	128	185
131	San Antonio, TX	7.65	174	32	86	119
132	Gilbert, AZ	7.51	96	115	114	126
133	Knoxville, TN	7.40	79	62	166	160
134	Cary, NC	7.33	86	59	128	169
135	Wichita, KS	7.26	125	115	111	117
136	Baton Rouge, LA	7.24	78	154	136	137
137	Mesquite, TX	7.18	112	173	188	100
138	Santa Clarita, CA	7.16	182	125	122	62
139	Birmingham, AL	7.14	153	115	35	110
140	Chula Vista, CA	7.08	106	142	102	133
141	Springfield, MO	7.01	75	121	64	181
142	Norfolk, VA	6.90	120	165	75	126
143	Palmdale, CA	6.88	172	173	152	61
144	Murfreesboro, TN	6.78	98	110	52	178
145	Little Rock, AR	6.75	143	148	30	126
146	Fremont, CA	6.72	168	154	63	89
146	Olathe, KS	6.72	126	125	188	111
148	Miramar, FL	6.62	71	173	140	164
148	Lincoln, NE	6.62	94	154	33	193
150	Lancaster, CA	6.56	181	173	158	62
151	Sioux Falls, SD	6.49	114	173	69	149
152	Hayward, CA	6.40	145	130	114	105
152	Reno, NV	6.40	110	83	122	163
154	Detroit, MI	6.38	198	57	79	83
155	Newport News, VA	6.00	130	154	61	140
156	Fort Wayne, IN	5.96	122	130	101	155
157	Oklahoma City, OK	5.93	191	70	91	98
158	Fresno, CA	5.86	113	71	181	172
159	Durham, NC	5.61	151	51	126	142
160	Chattanooga, TN	5.40	136	91	158	142
161	Nashville, TN	5.28	197	51	76	122
162	Des Moines, IA	5.22	118	121	82	196
163	Lexington, KY	5.11	183	85	93	124
163	Virginia Beach, VA	5.11	166	103	113	131
165	El Paso, TX	5.06	176	129	139	117
166	Grand Prairie, TX	4.82	175	173	188	100
167	Bakersfield, CA	4.67	142	130	152	144
168	Henderson, NV	4.57	137	103	166	167
169	McAllen, TX	4.55	102	173	166	198
170	Kansas City, KS	4.44	190	113	166	111
171	Winston-Salem, NC	4.38	185	148	39	158
172	Fayetteville, NC	4.22	148	76	166	170
173	Mobile, AL	4.10	158	130	166	140
174	Montgomery, AL	4.05	173	173	166	126
175	Cape Coral, FL	3.90	164	85	166	161
176	Shreveport, LA	3.88	156	165	158	149
177	Memphis, TN	3.87	188	130	83	144
178	Jacksonville, FL	3.85	195	50	108	162
179	Amarillo, TX	3.80	139	90	166	195
180	Killeen, TX	3.78	144	165	181	164
181	Jackson, MS	3.70	169	173	66	177
182	Paradise, NV	3.42	135	173	181	185
183	Peoria, AZ	3.37	186	125	144	152
184	Lubbock, TX	3.33	159	148	152	175
185	Chesapeake, VA	2.95	199	173	144	131
186	North Las Vegas, NV	2.92	170	173	95	185
187	Huntsville, AL	2.83	171	113	144	181
188	Spring Valley, NV	2.69	154	173	152	185
189	Midland, TX	2.63	150	154	188	198
190	Corpus Christi, TX	2.55	162	121	188	196
191	Clarksville, TN	2.54	155	173	188	183
192	Macon, GA	2.44	196	130	166	156
192	Augusta, GA	2.44	193	142	70	192
194	Sunrise Manor, NV	2.30	167	173	181	185
195	Port St. Lucie, FL	2.20	187	173	181	174
196	Laredo, TX	2.17	184	173	200	175
197	Anchorage, AK	1.78	200	142	109	173
198	Columbus, GA	1.69	192	165	188	179
199	Brownsville, TX	1.28	189	173	188	198
200	Enterprise, NV	1.23	194	173	188	185

Highlights and Lowlights

New York, The City That Never Stops Crafting

The Big Apple is this year’s DIY Art Capital of America. New York City handily beat out the other 199 cities in our ranking, thanks to its strong performance in three out of four categories: Community (No. 1), Education (No. 2), and Events (No. 4). 

How crazy are New Yorkers about crafts? The city is one of few that hosts a seasonal Renegade Craft Fair, one of the largest in the nation featuring goods made by hundreds of local craftspeople. 

At No. 37, New York was pulled down in the Access category by a lack of big craft chains like Hobby Lobby and Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts, which are more prolific in cities with more generous real estate. But that won’t stop New Yorkers from getting their hands dirty — there’s no shortage of independent arts and crafts supply stores in the city, ranking No. 7 in this metric.

Meet Your Maker (at Craft Week)

Among our top 10 cities are four crafty bigshots: San Francisco at No. 2, Atlanta at No. 6, as well as Baltimore and St. Paul, Minnesota, in ninth and 10th places. 

Each of these cities has hosted a national craft week organized by the American Craft Council. These events not only showcase artisans from across the country, but they’re also packed with fun and educational activities, including workshops, studio tours, and “maker meetups.”

Head over to one of these handy hubs if you’re serious about your craft and want to meet the big players in the industry.

Enterprise, Beam Up Some Crafters

For a city whose name literally means “a project or undertaking,” Enterprise, Nevada, is the least enterprising of our crafty cities at No. 200 overall.

Scoring only 1.23 points total, Enterprise ranked near the bottom of every category. There are few stores to buy craft supplies, no maker community, and only one art class available to the public within 5 miles of the city center — and it’s in Las Vegas. 

This is a baffling result for a town whose population is nearly a quarter children under 18, average per-household (earned) income is over $102,000 annually, and second-biggest industry is arts, entertainment, and recreation. 

What gives? It’s unclear, but the crafty population in Enterprise will likely find more creative encouragement in nearby Las Vegas (No. 57).

Methodology

We ranked the 200 biggest U.S. cities from best (No. 1) to worst (No. 200) for crafting based on their overall scores (out of 100 possible points), averaged across all the weighted metrics listed below.

Sources: American Craft Council, Artists Sunday, Eventbrite, Everfest, Hobby Lobby, HobbyTown, Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts, Meetup, Michaels, TheThriftShopper.com, Yellow Pages, and Yelp

Small Crafts = Big Business

Americans are crafting more than ever, a trend spurred by pandemic lockdowns in 2020. We took up crafting to assuage our boredom and stress, learn new skills, or even make a political statement. 

Some of us got so good at DIY that we turned it into a profitable business, creating a whole new crop of Etsy craft vendors. In 2020 alone, Etsy more than doubled its revenues to a record $1.7 billion, thanks to skyrocketing sales of handmade goods, and is currently beating its own records.

As the pandemic eases, though, it seems we’re not ready to put our glue guns and crochet hooks down just yet. In fact, craft retail chain Michaels calls 2022 the “Year of Mindful Making” in its first-ever industry trend predictions.

So if you’ve wanted to try your hand at DIY art, there’s never been a better time than now. This ranking will help you find the best cities to help nurture your creative side.

LawnStarter Grass Art Contest

Show off your craft skills this National Craft Month (March)!

How to enter: Send photos of your coolest grass art project to grassart@lawnstarter.com no later than midnight Central Time on Thurs., March 31.

The prize: The winner will receive up to three free mows (maximum value: $100) from LawnStarter.

Winner selection process: The LawnStarter Team will judge the contest submissions based on creativity and how well grass is incorporated into the art piece.

We will notify the winner via email and update this article with photos of the winning project on Mon., April 4.

Best of luck!

Main Photo Credit: Shutterstock