2022’s Best Cities for Hipsters

If you love all things indie, vintage, and obscure, then you’re likely to thrive in one of 2022’s Best Cities for Hipsters. 

That’s why LawnStarter ranked the 200 biggest U.S. cities: to help maximize your chances of finding a circa 1970s alpaca wool coat, cage-free eggs, and just chill vibes. 

We looked at 30 anti-cool factors — from access to thrift stores, farmers markets, and vinyl to unicycle- and morning rave-friendliness.

Check out the top cities for the modern Bohemian below, followed by our take on the ranking results.

Contents

• City Rankings
• Rants and Raves
• Behind the Ranking
• Hipster, Hipster, Hooray

City Rankings

See how each city fared in our ranking:

Overall Rank (1=Best)	City	Overall Score	Fashion Rank	Lifestyle Rank	Culture Rank	Food and Drink Rank
1	New York, NY	83.94	1	2	1	1
2	Los Angeles, CA	67.26	2	7	2	5
3	Portland, OR	57.49	13	3	4	2
4	San Francisco, CA	56.52	19	1	3	4
5	Chicago, IL	52.61	4	26	6	3
6	Seattle, WA	51.88	14	4	5	6
7	San Diego, CA	48.88	6	11	10	7
8	Denver, CO	44.43	25	5	18	8
9	Austin, TX	43.21	9	10	16	12
10	Atlanta, GA	40.93	16	14	8	20
11	Miami, FL	39.88	11	6	23	17
12	Washington, DC	39.54	50	19	11	10
13	Oakland, CA	37.99	57	12	13	36
14	Sacramento, CA	37.09	17	15	29	18
15	Orlando, FL	36.76	20	33	14	14
16	Nashville, TN	36.71	39	24	12	16
17	Louisville, KY	36.15	27	43	9	19
18	Houston, TX	36.07	3	64	39	9
19	Cincinnati, OH	35.98	36	30	7	33
20	Minneapolis, MN	35.94	47	9	24	21
21	Las Vegas, NV	35.63	5	80	19	15
22	Salt Lake City, UT	35.31	67	13	15	47
23	Richmond, VA	34.20	28	22	26	32
24	Philadelphia, PA	33.98	12	35	41	11
25	Tampa, FL	33.43	21	28	25	23
26	Columbus, OH	32.47	24	50	21	22
27	Pittsburgh, PA	32.22	33	39	30	13
28	San Jose, CA	32.12	37	18	35	55
29	Boston, MA	32.02	58	8	56	43
30	Tucson, AZ	31.08	15	49	38	34
31	Baltimore, MD	30.74	43	38	28	30
32	New Orleans, LA	30.56	54	63	17	29
33	Long Beach, CA	30.41	31	21	45	51
34	Indianapolis, IN	29.91	22	84	20	25
35	San Antonio, TX	29.55	8	89	31	31
36	Grand Rapids, MI	29.48	70	36	36	38
37	Charlotte, NC	29.46	23	60	32	26
38	Buffalo, NY	28.51	48	48	34	45
39	Rochester, NY	27.98	80	22	64	41
40	Dallas, TX	27.40	10	97	40	27
41	Phoenix, AZ	27.03	7	83	70	35
42	Honolulu, HI	26.59	38	51	59	24
43	Raleigh, NC	26.32	34	52	42	48
44	Durham, NC	26.30	87	29	37	89
45	Knoxville, TN	26.17	32	41	51	57
46	Eugene, OR	25.85	82	16	63	65
47	St. Louis, MO	25.78	55	25	60	79
48	Santa Rosa, CA	25.48	79	17	135	46
49	Madison, WI	24.51	61	40	75	39
50	Alexandria, VA	24.17	102	20	73	68
51	Albuquerque, NM	24.16	26	90	50	52
52	Cleveland, OH	23.65	89	129	22	37
53	Vancouver, WA	23.07	69	44	100	49
54	Milwaukee, WI	23.06	42	86	61	28
55	Pasadena, CA	22.78	86	37	68	72
56	Providence, RI	22.76	115	54	47	74
57	Omaha, NE	22.59	29	109	43	50
58	Colorado Springs, CO	22.31	46	103	52	42
59	Scottsdale, AZ	22.06	41	88	49	81
60	Huntington Beach, CA	22.03	109	31	116	70
61	Spokane, WA	21.58	49	102	62	44
62	Detroit, MI	21.54	103	123	27	78
63	Kansas City, MO	21.27	30	141	33	53
64	Tempe, AZ	20.99	65	56	93	73
65	Fort Collins, CO	20.79	121	61	82	40
66	Fort Lauderdale, FL	20.79	74	67	80	60
67	Salem, OR	20.75	113	47	146	56
68	Worcester, MA	20.75	130	42	99	96
69	Lexington, KY	20.66	71	78	53	92
70	Riverside, CA	20.49	76	46	132	86
71	Jersey City, NJ	20.39	170	27	134	144
72	Santa Ana, CA	19.96	104	45	103	156
73	Dayton, OH	19.61	96	59	72	63
74	Lincoln, NE	19.60	93	85	48	125
75	St. Petersburg, FL	19.54	97	57	85	100
76	Tallahassee, FL	19.47	44	93	71	80
77	Tacoma, WA	19.37	63	104	76	59
78	Tulsa, OK	19.28	60	127	46	64
79	Anaheim, CA	19.22	95	58	104	112
80	Fremont, CA	19.07	174	34	160	136
81	Syracuse, NY	18.92	90	92	54	90
82	Birmingham, AL	18.85	78	105	55	87
83	St. Paul, MN	18.62	162	32	165	93
84	Savannah, GA	18.53	68	68	74	91
85	Greensboro, NC	18.41	72	73	106	69
86	Boise City, ID	18.22	77	53	76	133
87	Virginia Beach, VA	17.99	62	87	107	77
88	Jacksonville, FL	17.94	18	150	69	61
89	Winston-Salem, NC	17.75	122	74	88	102
90	Irvine, CA	17.55	152	55	157	107
91	Reno, NV	17.53	81	131	79	54
92	Oceanside, CA	17.48	134	94	94	67
93	Des Moines, IA	17.03	99	81	101	104
94	Memphis, TN	16.63	56	148	44	97
95	Bellevue, WA	16.63	127	66	117	84
96	Fort Wayne, IN	16.54	92	95	86	116
97	Akron, OH	16.51	137	115	81	62
98	Escondido, CA	16.45	146	70	133	66
99	Arlington, VA	16.44	169	116	66	71
100	Torrance, CA	16.39	98	62	147	94
101	Glendale, CA	16.35	108	72	155	142
102	Mesa, AZ	16.28	51	96	126	127
103	Springfield, MO	16.27	73	76	90	106
104	Norfolk, VA	16.22	75	126	78	111
105	Little Rock, AR	16.14	88	134	57	103
106	Chattanooga, TN	16.03	105	100	95	88
107	Oxnard, CA	16.00	106	77	189	115
108	Oklahoma City, OK	15.82	40	175	58	58
109	Modesto, CA	15.76	100	106	137	75
110	Baton Rouge, LA	15.76	52	119	89	123
111	El Paso, TX	15.70	53	136	67	119
112	Toledo, OH	14.73	126	111	91	101
113	Huntsville, AL	14.67	84	112	115	83
114	Orange, CA	14.55	111	79	153	132
115	Sunnyvale, CA	14.47	187	69	163	98
116	Salinas, CA	14.40	155	71	175	113
117	Bakersfield, CA	14.37	59	145	83	95
118	Fresno, CA	14.07	45	138	113	99
119	Yonkers, NY	14.06	185	99	109	179
120	Mobile, AL	13.87	107	113	97	154
121	Fullerton, CA	13.62	140	82	139	168
122	Elk Grove, CA	13.61	188	98	180	108
123	Garden Grove, CA	13.60	160	65	177	185
124	Chula Vista, CA	13.53	124	125	110	129
125	Hayward, CA	13.51	165	91	119	150
126	Fort Worth, TX	13.39	35	174	87	76
127	Wichita, KS	13.18	64	169	65	105
128	Newark, NJ	13.18	175	122	105	164
129	Rockford, IL	13.10	135	107	130	117
130	Ontario, CA	13.05	181	101	164	167
131	Fayetteville, NC	12.97	110	118	122	140
132	Macon, GA	12.96	154	75	127	177
133	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	12.87	117	117	158	148
134	Naperville, IL	12.36	177	132	98	110
135	Santa Clarita, CA	12.34	195	121	136	141
136	Plano, TX	12.13	85	130	162	128
137	Augusta, GA	12.10	120	124	128	151
138	Pomona, CA	11.96	156	120	112	166
139	San Bernardino, CA	11.84	166	114	171	188
140	Anchorage, AK	11.40	116	160	102	85
141	Aurora, IL	11.28	149	135	125	161
142	Hialeah, FL	11.07	129	110	187	183
143	Aurora, CO	10.93	112	139	173	122
144	Clarksville, TN	10.75	145	108	167	145
145	Lubbock, TX	10.68	118	167	84	139
146	Newport News, VA	10.67	136	140	151	138
147	Hollywood, FL	10.25	153	154	108	81
148	Cape Coral, FL	10.22	131	133	170	162
149	Glendale, AZ	10.21	66	161	148	121
150	Chandler, AZ	9.95	83	168	123	126
151	Overland Park, KS	9.94	133	142	145	157
152	Corpus Christi, TX	9.74	91	177	92	165
153	Henderson, NV	9.69	147	163	121	118
154	Lakewood, CO	9.69	143	137	143	109
155	Murfreesboro, TN	9.68	142	143	120	131
156	Springfield, MA	9.55	184	128	188	173
157	Stockton, CA	9.52	94	159	174	120
158	Jackson, MS	9.45	171	149	111	147
159	Fontana, CA	9.39	159	146	184	169
160	Gilbert, AZ	9.11	168	153	168	134
161	McAllen, TX	8.84	119	152	131	158
162	Arlington, TX	8.80	101	171	144	130
163	Columbus, GA	8.79	151	151	152	174
164	Corona, CA	8.71	167	162	129	124
165	Lancaster, CA	8.69	123	147	159	184
166	Shreveport, LA	8.64	148	176	96	180
167	Montgomery, AL	8.43	158	158	141	159
168	Chesapeake, VA	8.20	150	170	156	137
169	Port St. Lucie, FL	8.19	138	144	195	191
170	Laredo, TX	7.98	173	156	140	200
171	Cary, NC	7.88	157	173	142	114
172	McKinney, TX	7.82	178	164	149	153
173	Paterson, NJ	7.56	182	155	181	152
174	Amarillo, TX	7.55	113	187	124	146
175	Brownsville, TX	7.48	172	157	169	194
176	Bridgeport, CT	7.47	163	172	138	172
177	Sioux Falls, SD	6.93	139	190	118	135
178	Moreno Valley, CA	6.81	183	165	191	189
179	Irving, TX	6.62	144	180	166	175
180	Peoria, AZ	6.10	141	184	176	182
181	Palmdale, CA	6.08	186	181	161	160
182	Olathe, KS	5.73	179	179	172	170
183	Midland, TX	5.58	163	185	150	181
184	Frisco, TX	5.55	190	182	185	178
185	Pembroke Pines, FL	5.55	180	178	186	163
186	Kansas City, KS	5.33	189	183	183	143
187	Joliet, IL	5.29	176	192	154	149
188	Garland, TX	4.91	125	193	190	176
189	North Las Vegas, NV	4.83	192	188	194	192
190	Killeen, TX	4.78	132	189	178	187
191	Denton, TX	4.72	128	198	114	155
192	Grand Prairie, TX	4.42	191	191	182	193
193	Thornton, CO	3.91	194	194	179	171
194	Miramar, FL	3.66	196	186	196	190
195	Pasadena, TX	3.38	161	195	192	195
196	Paradise, NV	2.73	197	166	197	197
197	Mesquite, TX	2.63	193	196	193	186
198	Spring Valley, NV	0.70	198	197	198	199
199	Enterprise, NV	0.45	198	199	199	196
200	Sunrise Manor, NV	0.39	198	200	199	197

Rants and Raves

New York City: Hipster Utopia

The undisputed Hipster Capital of America is also our No. 1 Best City for Hipsters this year, dethroning 2021’s gold medalist, San Francisco. 

The Big Apple swept three out of four categories and ranked only behind Baghdad by the Bay in Lifestyle. Zooming in, there are more thrift stores, record stores, independent bookstores, vegan and vegetarian restaurants, and other crucial hipster must-haves in New York than in the other 199 cities we ranked.

If you’ve followed hipster culture over the years, New York’s win comes as no surprise: Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood is synonymous with hipsterism. It’s there, after all, where local writer Robert Lanham penned “The Hipster Handbook.” (You can snag a copy of this essential hipster read from the ultra-cool Greenlight Bookstore on Fulton Street — we hear it’s a real pager.)

The Dream of the ’90s Is Alive in the PNW

Throw a Holga camera anywhere in Seattle and Portland, Oregon, and you’re likely to hit a hipster — they’re everywhere. Hipsters flock to this region for its laid-back (translation: tree-hugging, weed-loving) culture and strong sense of social justice.

Stumptown — whose un-ironic slogan is “Keep Portland weird” and the setting of hipster parody Portlandia — earned bronze this year (though it downgraded from silver in our 2021 ranking). Meanwhile, the Emerald City finished in sixth place. Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, the city’s hipster stronghold, was the site of the protest zone CHOP.

Both cities are — dare we say “popular” — hipster hubs, with chart-topping performances in all four categories but especially Lifestyle, Culture, and Food and Drink. Pack an umbrella to avoid looking remotely hip during the rainy season (locals prefer really trendy rain jackets).

Budget Matters

There are two types of city-dwelling hipsters: those who can afford $800 vintage boots and those who must recreate high-end looks with smart pieces from Goodwill.

Obvi, budget won’t be a factor for affluent, well-heeled hipsters. Most of our top 10 cities — such as New York (No. 1), San Francisco (No. 4), and Seattle (No. 6) — also are among the most expensive cities to live in general. 

But cash-strapped hipsters have plenty of budget-friendly options. The cost of living in Denver (No. 8), Austin, Texas (No. 9), and Atlanta (No. 10), for example, don’t stray too far above the national average. 

If you’re really struggling, Orlando (No. 15), Nashville (No. 16), and Cincinnati (No. 19) will let you live like a Bohemian without having to eat like one. You just bring the attitude to complete the look.

Texas, Vegas ’Burbs: The Antithesis of the Anti-Cool

If you prefer to stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to, head on over to the hipsturbias of Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Las Vegas. 

Outliers in the DFW like Denton (No. 191), Grand Prairie (No. 192), and Mesquite (No. 197), as well as Sin City’s Paradise (No. 196), Spring Valley (No. 198), and Sunrise Manor (No. 200), are the most mainstream cities in our ranking. 

You’ll find more cowboy hats than fedoras in these Texas cities and more chains than mom-and-pops in the Vegas ’burbs. 

Thankfully, you can ride to Austin (No. 9), Houston (No. 18), and Las Vegas (No. 21) for a quick indie fix. Unfortunately, you’ll need more than one wheel to get there.

Behind the Ranking

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

Sources: Art House Convergence, BreweryDB, Daybreaker, Eventbrite, IndieBound, other LawnStarter studies, The Skatepark Project, TheThriftShopper.Com, Trader Joe’s, TripAdvisor, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Urban Outfitters, Whole Foods, and Yelp

Hipster, Hipster, Hooray

Why is LawnStarter ranking the Best Cities for Hipsters? Well, hipsters mow lawns, too. 

They likely use one of these three methods: using a reel lawn mower (push the mower and watch the blades cut the grass), a robot lawn mower (for wealthy hipsters who like to mow their grass while they sleep), or book their lawn care like rideshares via the easy-to-use LawnStarter app.

Main Photo Credit: Shutterstock