2023’s Most Glamorous Cities in the U.S.

Many of us dream of a “Real Housewives” lifestyle: the mansion, the Bentley, the Rolex, the country club membership — minus the drama.

But which U.S. cities serve up ritz and glitz versus Ritz crackers and grits?

Ahead of New York Fashion Week, LawnStarter ranked 2023’s Most Glamorous Cities. 

We compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on six categories broken down into 39 glam factors. They include metrics like the share of million-dollar homes, access to Michelin-starred restaurants, and the number of exclusive yacht clubs.

Does your city have the “It” factor? Find out in our ranking below, followed by some highlights and lowlights.

Contents

• City Rankings
• Highlights and Lowlights
• Methodology

City Rankings

See how your city and others fared in our ranking:

Overall Rank (1=Most Glamorous)	City	State	Overall Score	Status and Wealth Rank	Clubs Rank	Fine Dining Rank	Beauty Rank	Fashion Rank	Entertainment Rank
1	New York	NY	69.89	1	1	1	61	1	1
2	Los Angeles	CA	41.66	3	2	6	54	2	2
3	San Francisco	CA	34.76	7	4	2	66	9	6
4	Miami	FL	34.52	6	78	4	1	4	5
5	Chicago	IL	29.4	22	8	3	77	3	7
6	Las Vegas	NV	27.52	29	51	15	2	5	3
7	Houston	TX	26.66	12	5	39	83	11	4
8	Atlanta	GA	25.63	2	21	16	39	16	9
9	Dallas	TX	24.27	8	7	51	58	12	11
10	Washington	DC	21.65	5	40	5	125	19	28
11	Seattle	WA	21.1	14	19	7	137	26	15
12	Orlando	FL	20.16	31	26	24	3	17	10
13	Scottsdale	AZ	19.56	15	22	76	12	18	24
14	Portland	OR	19.31	23	11	11	67	23	13
15	Fort Lauderdale	FL	19.12	20	13	25	6	34	65
16	Austin	TX	19.02	18	93	20	128	6	14
17	San Diego	CA	18.67	26	19	47	73	15	8
18	St. Louis	MO	18.15	53	6	14	19	25	42
19	Tampa	FL	17.91	28	17	49	33	22	16
20	Philadelphia	PA	17.35	46	9	8	121	20	36
21	New Orleans	LA	16.98	107	3	13	110	46	17
22	Pasadena	CA	16.54	9	79	52	24	99	69
23	Honolulu	HI	16.34	54	29	12	11	13	107
24	Denver	CO	16.14	45	12	17	53	21	39
25	Irvine	CA	15.74	16	105	124	79	10	91
26	Bellevue	WA	15.09	4	51	69	65	31	177
27	Charlotte	NC	14.81	42	10	80	117	33	18
28	Savannah	GA	14.22	119	14	82	14	74	20
29	Columbus	OH	14.2	74	43	30	156	8	35
30	Indianapolis	IN	14.11	59	76	89	140	7	26
31	Cincinnati	OH	13.95	43	49	50	64	24	12
32	Pittsburgh	PA	13.73	58	42	32	16	28	45
33	Boston	MA	13.67	63	74	23	60	14	22
34	San Antonio	TX	13.49	40	31	22	108	27	21
35	Rochester	NY	13.27	118	23	29	25	66	19
36	Glendale	CA	13.18	17	105	19	37	30	169
37	Phoenix	AZ	12.74	35	28	36	171	37	23
38	Charleston	SC	12.63	67	86	27	27	96	25
39	Alexandria	VA	12.55	21	43	35	90	160	70
40	Torrance	CA	12.52	19	105	28	17	105	185
41	Richmond	VA	12.2	47	47	57	42	35	47
42	Salt Lake City	UT	12.19	25	105	64	52	45	56
43	Grand Rapids	MI	12.19	57	31	58	40	150	37
44	Tacoma	WA	11.47	84	105	95	5	167	72
45	Minneapolis	MN	11.34	49	79	10	126	48	62
46	Raleigh	NC	11.33	27	30	85	120	41	83
47	Long Beach	CA	11.11	30	93	56	98	89	57
48	Sacramento	CA	11.1	79	79	48	30	38	53
49	San Jose	CA	11.09	13	105	87	179	50	153
50	St. Petersburg	FL	10.9	83	14	77	102	51	67
51	Jacksonville	FL	10.88	38	82	137	132	39	31
52	Knoxville	TN	10.77	106	86	100	20	137	32
53	Kansas City	MO	10.74	41	51	119	127	77	30
54	Sunnyvale	CA	10.71	10	105	83	190	182	187
55	Oklahoma City	OK	10.68	48	51	136	89	63	41
56	Riverside	CA	10.64	121	105	84	4	141	108
57	Tucson	AZ	10.4	129	51	107	43	44	26
58	Virginia Beach	VA	10.32	116	51	122	36	43	33
59	Fremont	CA	10.19	11	105	171	153	150	192
60	Chattanooga	TN	10.18	34	86	150	56	167	95
61	Nashville	TN	10.16	76	27	73	141	32	44
62	Pomona	CA	10.15	66	105	65	21	141	109
63	Huntington Beach	CA	10.13	24	105	60	155	105	92
64	Fort Worth	TX	10.07	62	24	125	130	57	48
65	Birmingham	AL	10	88	93	101	76	29	34
66	Toledo	OH	9.98	127	39	126	45	57	43
67	Santa Ana	CA	9.8	103	105	40	13	109	121
68	Milwaukee	WI	9.78	126	16	62	168	59	54
69	Winston-Salem	NC	9.72	56	105	151	75	47	52
70	Hollywood	FL	9.54	78	105	55	46	80	75
71	Spokane	WA	9.44	61	51	98	103	94	51
72	Tulsa	OK	9.41	86	41	112	146	68	29
73	Anaheim	CA	9.38	36	105	59	143	118	84
74	Louisville	KY	9.36	117	34	37	147	62	40
75	Eugene	OR	9.16	185	51	72	9	82	86
76	Reno	NV	9.11	81	105	105	95	69	38
77	Baton Rouge	LA	9.09	70	51	67	44	36	159
78	Naperville	IL	9.03	32	105	106	81	167	154
79	Escondido	CA	9.01	136	105	86	18	88	82
80	Frisco	TX	8.98	52	105	146	96	40	81
81	Santa Rosa	CA	8.96	93	51	93	29	160	117
82	Greensboro	NC	8.87	55	45	127	124	53	87
83	Overland Park	KS	8.85	50	105	147	131	56	68
84	Fullerton	CA	8.81	51	105	78	94	182	93
85	Henderson	NV	8.74	97	105	148	48	64	66
86	Baltimore	MD	8.74	101	74	53	88	77	63
87	Salinas	CA	8.65	192	105	18	7	111	170
88	Lexington	KY	8.6	120	25	159	100	60	64
89	Springfield	MO	8.58	169	34	135	23	85	88
90	Jackson	MS	8.55	137	93	167	10	130	122
91	Omaha	NE	8.52	82	105	96	118	91	46
92	Oakland	CA	8.49	39	51	31	187	52	161
93	Detroit	MI	8.48	179	17	79	161	104	54
94	Memphis	TN	8.37	64	86	103	144	105	58
95	Plano	TX	8.26	71	105	110	62	54	125
96	Chandler	AZ	8.25	44	105	102	180	130	76
97	Orange	CA	8.21	33	105	66	84	167	193
98	Dayton	OH	8.17	131	105	94	28	79	111
99	Corona	CA	8.14	94	105	99	55	182	80
100	Mobile	AL	8.14	68	86	42	136	128	104
101	Cleveland	OH	8.09	151	46	54	68	49	85
102	Ontario	CA	7.87	164	105	104	22	125	99
103	Syracuse	NY	7.86	168	105	43	49	97	74
104	St. Paul	MN	7.83	124	105	61	99	100	50
105	Roseville	CA	7.69	91	105	120	69	112	101
106	Tempe	AZ	7.66	69	105	74	80	124	144
107	Glendale	AZ	7.6	128	51	127	38	130	137
108	Boise City	ID	7.55	80	51	112	166	100	79
109	Madison	WI	7.52	100	31	81	138	64	113
110	Albuquerque	NM	7.46	144	34	92	135	90	60
111	Newark	NJ	7.42	139	93	26	51	141	139
112	Fort Collins	CO	7.41	133	34	123	50	114	151
113	Tallahassee	FL	7.37	155	34	143	34	182	142
114	Durham	NC	7.36	125	105	139	86	160	59
115	Vancouver	WA	7.17	180	105	109	8	98	181
116	Oxnard	CA	7.13	180	105	38	32	182	129
117	Lancaster	CA	7.1	73	105	188	31	182	194
118	Worcester	MA	7.08	160	105	114	15	135	173
119	Sioux Falls	SD	7.05	109	51	154	164	91	73
120	Hayward	CA	7.02	90	105	115	85	128	123
121	Providence	RI	6.96	165	105	21	101	75	98
122	Carrollton	TX	6.91	60	105	153	191	150	97
123	Akron	OH	6.9	163	93	108	63	85	77
124	Aurora	IL	6.89	65	105	131	154	70	143
125	Peoria	AZ	6.82	72	105	193	176	167	90
126	McKinney	TX	6.82	123	105	183	71	114	110
127	Colorado Springs	CO	6.8	89	105	118	162	121	94
128	Mesa	AZ	6.75	92	105	152	119	141	103
129	Santa Clarita	CA	6.75	37	105	181	123	140	195
130	Olathe	KS	6.57	77	51	185	175	182	120
131	Garden Grove	CA	6.55	134	105	41	35	167	191
132	Fresno	CA	6.54	178	105	71	26	81	164
133	Bakersfield	CA	6.47	171	51	116	72	118	105
134	Buffalo	NY	6.39	142	76	34	134	73	140
135	Fort Wayne	IN	6.28	130	105	132	157	130	71
135	Jersey City	NJ	6.28	96	93	33	174	121	158
137	Augusta	GA	6.27	174	47	195	116	138	61
138	Anchorage	AK	6.13	140	51	192	82	67	149
139	Aurora	CO	6.11	122	105	165	106	141	114
140	Wichita	KS	6.11	102	51	133	177	87	133
140	Irving	TX	6.11	104	105	145	149	114	116
142	Arlington	TX	6.1	105	93	121	165	112	115
143	Chula Vista	CA	6.08	115	105	88	173	126	102
144	Lincoln	NE	6.07	161	105	138	169	91	49
145	Salem	OR	6.07	99	105	90	87	148	171
146	El Paso	TX	5.99	132	105	130	129	42	126
147	Lubbock	TX	5.95	145	51	161	182	55	78
148	Surprise	AZ	5.95	111	105	200	160	182	96
149	Oceanside	CA	5.92	135	105	97	145	167	100
150	Shreveport	LA	5.9	152	93	168	78	72	136
151	Stockton	CA	5.88	191	105	63	59	61	127
152	Little Rock	AR	5.76	113	51	166	151	94	155
153	Yonkers	NY	5.75	150	105	46	159	150	118
154	Huntsville	AL	5.7	110	49	174	111	110	175
155	Murfreesboro	TN	5.65	154	51	155	115	126	130
156	Rockford	IL	5.57	175	105	144	93	82	106
157	McAllen	TX	5.56	153	51	75	158	160	134
158	Corpus Christi	TX	5.55	158	84	179	74	108	152
159	Pembroke Pines	FL	5.54	143	105	111	112	160	131
160	Norfolk	VA	5.46	147	84	91	148	130	124
161	Montgomery	AL	5.42	149	105	180	109	141	119
162	Garland	TX	5.4	95	105	158	133	103	176
163	Thornton	CO	5.36	108	105	196	189	182	112
164	Rancho Cucamonga	CA	5.26	112	105	117	114	84	178
164	Palmdale	CA	5.26	75	105	198	191	141	165
166	Modesto	CA	5.17	187	105	70	47	76	183
167	Hialeah	FL	5.15	146	105	44	122	149	174
168	Denton	TX	5.08	85	105	184	139	150	188
169	Grand Prairie	TX	5.03	98	93	186	191	167	147
170	Des Moines	IA	5	138	105	149	167	100	141
171	Chesapeake	VA	4.95	159	51	199	150	150	138
172	Port St. Lucie	FL	4.87	183	86	187	152	182	89
173	Lakewood	CO	4.84	189	105	129	41	150	186
174	Mesquite	TX	4.81	157	105	177	104	167	156
175	Hampton	VA	4.61	173	86	172	57	150	182
176	Fayetteville	NC	4.6	156	105	182	113	121	162
177	Macon	GA	4.46	147	105	197	170	167	146
178	Newport News	VA	4.46	166	105	163	107	167	163
179	Amarillo	TX	4.41	167	105	162	181	71	128
180	Paterson	NJ	4.25	198	105	9	172	182	196
181	Killeen	TX	4.19	195	105	175	91	150	148
182	Clarksville	TN	4.14	193	105	194	70	167	166
183	Pasadena	TX	4.13	87	105	170	188	165	199
184	Kansas City	KS	4.11	177	105	191	163	167	135
185	San Bernardino	CA	4.01	182	105	157	142	117	157
186	Miramar	FL	3.98	141	105	169	97	182	200
187	Springfield	MA	3.96	196	105	134	105	182	150
188	Elk Grove	CA	3.92	114	105	140	184	150	190
189	Fontana	CA	3.9	176	105	142	191	138	132
190	Joliet	IL	3.54	162	105	178	185	167	167
191	North Las Vegas	NV	3.47	170	105	156	191	165	160
192	Waco	TX	3.41	190	93	173	186	135	145
193	Columbus	GA	3.24	197	93	190	92	182	179
194	Cape Coral	FL	3.15	172	105	189	183	182	172
195	Moreno Valley	CA	2.96	186	105	164	191	118	168
196	Brownsville	TX	2.71	199	105	45	191	182	180
197	Laredo	TX	2.56	184	105	160	191	167	184
198	Bridgeport	CT	2.07	200	83	68	191	182	189
199	Warren	MI	2.05	194	105	140	178	182	197
200	West Valley City	UT	2.02	188	105	176	191	182	198

Highlights and Lowlights

The Wealth of Nations

Affluence doesn’t necessarily equate with glamour, but the finer things in life tend to follow (and require) money.

That’s partly why New York, the world’s richest city, is our 2023 Glamour Capital. According to a recent report, “Total private wealth held by [New York]’s residents exceeds USD 3 trillion — higher than the total private wealth held in most major G20 countries.”

Wow.

Unsurprisingly, the Big Apple aced our “Status and Wealth” test — and dominated another four of the six categories in our ranking. 

Where one of the “Big Four” fashion capitals of the world ironically could use some polishing is Beauty. New York ranked No. 61 out of 200 in this category.

If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It

To see or be seen, head to fourth-placer Miami, where appearance matters most.

One of the settings of “The Real Housewives” topped our Beauty category and finished fourth in Fashion. Miami has the most plastic surgeons and the sixth highest number of very expensive spas and beauty businesses (when adjusting per 100,000 upper-income households in both metrics). 

Both outward and inward attractiveness count here. In addition to boasting the fifth best access to luxury car dealerships, Miami employs the second highest number of interior designers per 100,000 homes.

However, some of the Magic City’s flashy finishes could be a mere illusion. Miami sank to 177th place in share of upper-income households (when measuring net worth against local cost of living). Perhaps the exclusive amenities serve only those at the very top of Miami’s economic food chain.

Lackluster Lone Star Cities

Unlike Houston, Dallas, and Austin — Texas’ most well-heeled cities — Laredo, Brownsville, and Waco make up three of our 10 least glamorous cities, the most from any state. None of the other seven bottom cities are from the same state.

In these more well-booted Texas cities, there’s relatively little wealth, outward beauty isn’t a big priority, and exclusive cultural amenities are lacking.

That’s not to say there’s zero sparkle here. Among the three, Laredo has the highest share of upper-income households at No. 84 overall. Waco has transformed into a shiplap-clad travel destination for fans of Chip and Joanna Gaines’ “Fixer Upper” on the Magnolia Network.

Brownsville has a burgeoning fine-dining scene, thanks to nationally acclaimed Sylvia’s. This taqueria technically isn’t a “fine-dining” restaurant, but its superior quality proves you don’t have to spend like a king to dine like one in Brownsville.

Methodology

For each of the 200 biggest U.S. cities, we gathered publicly available data on the factors listed in the table below. 

We then grouped those factors into six categories: Status and Wealth, Clubs, Fine Dining, Beauty, Fashion, and Entertainment.

Next, we calculated weighted scores for each city in each category. 

Finally, we averaged the scores for each city across all categories. 

The city that earned the highest average score was ranked “Best” (No. 1), while the city with the lowest was ranked “Worst” (No. 200).

Notes: 

• The “Worst” among individual factors may not be No. 200 due to ties among cities.
• “Upper Income” is defined as double the national median household income adjusted by the local cost of living.
• “Luxury Beauty and Spa Businesses” includes all business categories listed here. Results were filtered by the $$$ and $$$$ “Price” options.

Sources: 10times, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Auto Buy Sell Dealers, Boarding Schools USA, Booking.com, Bureau of Economic Analysis, FashionUnited, Federal Aviation Administration, GolfLink, Marinas.com, Michelin Guide, The New York Times, Paramount Business Jets, Platinum Clubs of America, Private School Review, TripAdvisor, U.S. Census Bureau, Wikipedia, Yacht Clubs of America, and Yelp

Main Photo Credit: iStock