Brooklyn might be the epicenter of American hipster culture, but where else can the nonconformist crowd indulge its affinity for vintage apparel, vinyl records, banjos, and beards?
LawnStarter ranked 2021’s Best Cities for Hipsters by comparing the 150 biggest U.S. cities based on 23 anti-mainstream factors — from access to thrift stores, farmers markets, and record stores to urban gardening- and biking-friendliness.
Check out our ranking below, followed by some highlights and lowlights.
Table of Contents
City Rankings
See how each city fared in our ranking:
OVERALL RANK | City | Overall Score | Fashion Rank | Lifestyle Rank | Culture Rank | Food and Drink Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | San Francisco, CA | 63.64 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
2 | Portland, OR | 62.88 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 1 |
3 | Oakland, CA | 61.22 | 17 | 2 | 9 | 3 |
4 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 59.86 | 1 | 107 | 3 | 2 |
5 | Jersey City, NJ | 59.34 | 5 | 17 | 8 | 8 |
6 | Tempe, AZ | 55.51 | 3 | 27 | 48 | 5 |
7 | Huntington Beach, CA | 55.23 | 4 | 30 | 32 | 4 |
8 | Honolulu, HI | 54.8 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 13 |
9 | Providence, RI | 53.93 | 9 | 16 | 5 | 20 |
10 | New Orleans, LA | 53 | 31 | 63 | 1 | 11 |
11 | Santa Rosa, CA | 51.94 | 21 | 12 | 56 | 7 |
12 | Washington, DC | 50.68 | 80 | 5 | 10 | 16 |
13 | Salt Lake City, UT | 50.6 | 28 | 7 | 17 | 18 |
14 | Glendale, CA | 49.83 | 2 | 74 | 13 | 10 |
15 | Richmond, VA | 48.01 | 19 | 39 | 14 | 14 |
16 | Seattle, WA | 47.39 | 79 | 6 | 11 | 25 |
17 | Ontario, CA | 46.42 | 15 | 37 | 23 | 22 |
18 | Boston, MA | 45.87 | 81 | 4 | 15 | 35 |
19 | Long Beach, CA | 45.73 | 25 | 33 | 20 | 23 |
20 | Cincinnati, OH | 45.63 | 42 | 69 | 4 | 15 |
21 | Sacramento, CA | 45.38 | 48 | 15 | 34 | 21 |
22 | Anaheim, CA | 44.7 | 8 | 72 | 31 | 17 |
23 | Irvine, CA | 42.62 | 53 | 25 | 77 | 19 |
24 | Atlanta, GA | 42.33 | 50 | 58 | 25 | 12 |
25 | Rochester, NY | 42.11 | 34 | 14 | 22 | 57 |
26 | Pittsburgh, PA | 42.04 | 45 | 26 | 16 | 38 |
27 | Orlando, FL | 41.73 | 43 | 66 | 33 | 9 |
28 | Santa Ana, CA | 41.14 | 23 | 35 | 36 | 37 |
29 | Salem, OR | 40.92 | 22 | 28 | 60 | 43 |
30 | Spokane, WA | 40.43 | 11 | 54 | 21 | 51 |
31 | Vancouver, WA | 40.04 | 27 | 29 | 127 | 30 |
32 | Baltimore, MD | 39.82 | 37 | 32 | 30 | 39 |
33 | Minneapolis, MN | 39.54 | 56 | 9 | 37 | 67 |
34 | St. Petersburg, FL | 39.1 | 12 | 73 | 44 | 33 |
35 | Grand Rapids, MI | 38.94 | 32 | 40 | 35 | 41 |
36 | Fremont, CA | 38.8 | 98 | 22 | 105 | 26 |
37 | Denver, CO | 38.63 | 78 | 13 | 29 | 62 |
38 | Tampa, FL | 38.23 | 54 | 46 | 87 | 24 |
39 | Miami, FL | 38.18 | 73 | 36 | 52 | 29 |
40 | Tacoma, WA | 37.82 | 7 | 77 | 38 | 56 |
41 | Newark, NJ | 37.52 | 10 | 41 | 49 | 75 |
42 | Yonkers, NY | 37.38 | 6 | 57 | 40 | 83 |
43 | Tucson, AZ | 36.11 | 46 | 45 | 46 | 49 |
44 | Riverside, CA | 35.96 | 63 | 34 | 85 | 40 |
45 | Worcester, MA | 35.27 | 55 | 47 | 50 | 45 |
46 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 35.26 | 60 | 59 | 51 | 34 |
47 | Boise, ID | 34.77 | 41 | 31 | 41 | 84 |
48 | Buffalo, NY | 34.73 | 85 | 21 | 18 | 108 |
49 | Madison, WI | 34.32 | 68 | 19 | 43 | 98 |
50 | Modesto, CA | 34.13 | 35 | 60 | 61 | 53 |
51 | Oxnard, CA | 34.09 | 77 | 50 | 84 | 36 |
52 | Scottsdale, AZ | 34 | 33 | 67 | 140 | 32 |
53 | St. Louis, MO | 33.78 | 105 | 61 | 72 | 28 |
54 | San Diego, CA | 32.97 | 129 | 20 | 112 | 61 |
55 | Las Vegas, NV | 32.14 | 36 | 71 | 26 | 85 |
56 | Reno, NV | 31.97 | 29 | 92 | 19 | 76 |
57 | Glendale, AZ | 31.87 | 13 | 94 | 130 | 52 |
58 | St. Paul, MN | 31.69 | 100 | 11 | 54 | 117 |
59 | San Jose, CA | 31.42 | 125 | 18 | 103 | 86 |
60 | Durham, NC | 31.3 | 89 | 70 | 62 | 50 |
61 | Knoxville, TN | 30.87 | 24 | 88 | 91 | 58 |
62 | Lexington, KY | 30.57 | 70 | 38 | 24 | 120 |
63 | Oceanside, CA | 30.35 | 87 | 76 | 63 | 48 |
64 | Austin, TX | 30.29 | 108 | 48 | 57 | 74 |
65 | Philadelphia, PA | 30.14 | 123 | 24 | 59 | 109 |
66 | Nashville, TN | 29.97 | 116 | 44 | 39 | 89 |
67 | New York, NY | 29.67 | 142 | 10 | 111 | 104 |
67 | Elk Grove, CA | 29.67 | 94 | 52 | 88 | 70 |
69 | Hialeah, FL | 29.55 | 14 | 124 | 86 | 42 |
70 | Chula Vista, CA | 29.06 | 91 | 78 | 110 | 47 |
70 | San Bernardino, CA | 29.06 | 75 | 64 | 78 | 73 |
72 | Santa Clarita, CA | 29.03 | 97 | 118 | 42 | 27 |
73 | Birmingham, AL | 28.85 | 83 | 127 | 28 | 31 |
74 | Tallahassee, FL | 28.56 | 20 | 121 | 73 | 54 |
75 | Fontana, CA | 28.31 | 38 | 83 | 93 | 72 |
76 | Norfolk, VA | 27.41 | 40 | 93 | 70 | 78 |
77 | Greensboro, NC | 27.33 | 64 | 89 | 75 | 68 |
78 | Albuquerque, NM | 27.07 | 65 | 56 | 47 | 122 |
79 | Winston-Salem, NC | 26.73 | 69 | 119 | 55 | 44 |
80 | Bakersfield, CA | 26.15 | 110 | 82 | 99 | 64 |
81 | Los Angeles, CA | 25.94 | 130 | 42 | 104 | 103 |
82 | Akron, OH | 25.78 | 44 | 103 | 64 | 80 |
83 | Des Moines, IA | 25.73 | 62 | 68 | 68 | 116 |
84 | Chicago, IL | 25.52 | 138 | 23 | 83 | 135 |
85 | Stockton, CA | 25.35 | 96 | 85 | 94 | 81 |
86 | Cleveland, OH | 25.26 | 112 | 75 | 69 | 91 |
87 | Kansas City, MO | 24.48 | 47 | 117 | 27 | 94 |
88 | Chattanooga, TN | 24.47 | 58 | 143 | 45 | 55 |
88 | Lincoln, NE | 24.47 | 90 | 53 | 58 | 131 |
90 | Fresno, CA | 24.38 | 88 | 101 | 108 | 65 |
91 | Milwaukee, WI | 24.29 | 118 | 55 | 66 | 119 |
92 | Mesa, AZ | 24.16 | 117 | 51 | 150 | 102 |
93 | Raleigh, NC | 23.14 | 121 | 90 | 92 | 87 |
94 | Chandler, AZ | 23.13 | 86 | 108 | 122 | 66 |
95 | Baton Rouge, LA | 23 | 103 | 141 | 71 | 46 |
96 | Moreno Valley, CA | 22.99 | 101 | 86 | 97 | 99 |
97 | Aurora, IL | 22.67 | 74 | 100 | 89 | 97 |
98 | Gilbert, AZ | 22.64 | 106 | 113 | 134 | 60 |
98 | Huntsville, AL | 22.64 | 66 | 131 | 67 | 71 |
100 | Louisville, KY | 22.5 | 133 | 49 | 65 | 137 |
101 | Virginia Beach, VA | 22.4 | 126 | 98 | 107 | 79 |
102 | Indianapolis, IN | 22.21 | 146 | 105 | 12 | 114 |
103 | Charlotte, NC | 22.2 | 128 | 79 | 100 | 107 |
104 | Phoenix, AZ | 22.04 | 149 | 62 | 132 | 100 |
105 | Peoria, AZ | 21.59 | 26 | 134 | 138 | 88 |
106 | Omaha, NE | 21.31 | 127 | 43 | 123 | 142 |
107 | Newport News, VA | 21.04 | 124 | 110 | 129 | 69 |
108 | Cape Coral, FL | 20.79 | 39 | 144 | 146 | 63 |
109 | Augusta, GA | 20.37 | 57 | 130 | 102 | 90 |
110 | Columbus, OH | 20.24 | 139 | 65 | 81 | 134 |
111 | Grand Prairie, TX | 19.86 | 51 | 145 | 119 | 77 |
112 | Irving, TX | 19.75 | 59 | 122 | 124 | 96 |
113 | Aurora, CO | 19.63 | 93 | 80 | 141 | 132 |
114 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 19.53 | 84 | 125 | 144 | 82 |
114 | Mobile, AL | 19.53 | 76 | 148 | 101 | 59 |
116 | Henderson, NV | 19.32 | 136 | 87 | 136 | 113 |
117 | Frisco, TX | 19.13 | 61 | 139 | 95 | 92 |
118 | Plano, TX | 18.84 | 102 | 104 | 137 | 115 |
119 | Colorado Springs, CO | 18.43 | 99 | 81 | 135 | 144 |
120 | McKinney, TX | 18.17 | 109 | 138 | 74 | 93 |
121 | Fayetteville, NC | 18.11 | 72 | 109 | 131 | 125 |
122 | Garland, TX | 17.56 | 52 | 114 | 125 | 129 |
123 | Houston, TX | 17.49 | 144 | 96 | 113 | 121 |
124 | Fort Wayne, IN | 17.43 | 92 | 112 | 90 | 128 |
125 | Brownsville, TX | 17.35 | 82 | 123 | 145 | 106 |
126 | Little Rock, AR | 17.28 | 107 | 136 | 98 | 101 |
127 | Overland Park, KS | 17.26 | 49 | 140 | 133 | 111 |
128 | Lubbock, TX | 17.14 | 95 | 99 | 80 | 145 |
129 | Shreveport, LA | 17.02 | 67 | 150 | 53 | 95 |
130 | North Las Vegas, NV | 16.97 | 115 | 106 | 149 | 118 |
130 | Detroit, MI | 16.97 | 135 | 95 | 82 | 140 |
132 | Arlington, TX | 16.77 | 104 | 116 | 115 | 124 |
133 | San Antonio, TX | 16.14 | 145 | 84 | 120 | 141 |
134 | Tulsa, OK | 15.38 | 111 | 111 | 118 | 136 |
135 | Chesapeake, VA | 15.27 | 120 | 137 | 143 | 105 |
136 | Toledo, OH | 15.14 | 140 | 97 | 116 | 143 |
137 | Dallas, TX | 14.95 | 141 | 115 | 126 | 123 |
138 | Oklahoma City, OK | 14.85 | 122 | 126 | 79 | 126 |
139 | Sioux Falls, SD | 14.72 | 71 | 142 | 76 | 138 |
140 | Jacksonville, FL | 14.26 | 150 | 128 | 128 | 110 |
141 | Anchorage, AK | 14.09 | 131 | 91 | 114 | 149 |
142 | Fort Worth, TX | 13.04 | 134 | 129 | 106 | 130 |
143 | Corpus Christi, TX | 12.88 | 119 | 133 | 121 | 133 |
144 | Montgomery, AL | 12.61 | 113 | 149 | 109 | 112 |
145 | Columbus, GA | 11.71 | 143 | 132 | 142 | 127 |
146 | El Paso, TX | 11.65 | 147 | 102 | 139 | 147 |
147 | Laredo, TX | 11.16 | 114 | 120 | 147 | 148 |
148 | Memphis, TN | 9.4 | 148 | 147 | 96 | 139 |
149 | Wichita, KS | 9.2 | 132 | 146 | 117 | 146 |
150 | Amarillo, TX | 7.4 | 137 | 135 | 148 | 150 |
Highlights and Lowlights
San Francisco: The New Hipster Capital?
Step aside, Brooklyn. San Francisco is our No. 1 Best City for Hipsters and for good reason: The city known as “Baghdad by the Bay” (because of its rich cultural diversity) appropriately snags position No. 2 in Culture and the top spot in Lifestyle. It also boasts the highest number of uniquely San Francisco quirks (“local flavor” amenities).
Unfortunately, the city’s hipster fashion sense is slightly mediocre (No. 30) due to its poor performance in thrift-store access (No. 104). Clearly, most San Franciscans prefer new and shiny over shabby and chic.
Where the 415 really sparkles: sustainability — the city ranks No. 1 in eco-consciousness, biking-friendliness, and car-free living. If you’re a hipster with a soft spot for the environment, San Francisco deserves to be on your short list.
Keeping Portland Weird
If you’ve ever visited Portland, Oregon — or watched an episode of “Portlandia” — then it’s no surprise that Stumptown comes in at No. 2.
Long regarded as a hipster hub, the city where you’ll find the dream of the ’90s very much alive offers everything a hipster needs to exist: easy access to vintage clothes and vinyl records (No. 4 in both metrics), vegan and vegetarian food (No. 2), specialty coffee (No. 3), and craft beer (No. 1).
Prefer to get around on a unicycle? Move to Portland, No. 2 for both biking-friendliness and car-free living. And if the city’s tattoo parlors run out of ink, cycle on over to Salem (No. 14 for tattoo-parlor access) — Google says you can get there in just over 5 hours, but you’ll need at least two wheels.
It’s Not Hipper in Texas
If you prefer to stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to, head on over to Texas.
Five of our bottom 10 cities hail from the Lone Star State, including Fort Worth at No. 142 (sorry, Funkytown), Corpus Christi at No. 143, El Paso at No. 146, Laredo at No. 147, and Amarillo finishing dead last. Overall, the state fared the worst in our ranking.
In fact, nearly all Texas cities in our ranking landed in the bottom third. Austin, once popular among hipsters but now a yuppie and tech hotbed, is tops among Texas cities at No. 64. East Sixth remains the last hipster stronghold in the city, but plans to restore Austin as “hipsturbia” are in the works, so hold your breath, yuppies.
Bottom line: You’re still likely to find far more cowboy hats than fedoras in Texas, and vintage clothing more often means well-worn jeans here.
Surprising Findings
California Counter-Culture
Besides San Francisco, two other Golden State cities climb to the top 10: Oakland, a Bay Area suburb, finishes third, while Huntington Beach, part of the Los Angeles metro, ranks seventh.
Both are especially ideal for a hipster diet: In the Food and Drink category, Oakland is third, and Huntington Beach is fourth, the latter boasting the highest number of Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods locations per 100,000 residents in the country.
Need to work on your flexibility? Oakland is No. 1 for yoga-studio access. It’s also No. 1 for specialty coffee so you can load up on the caffeine before or after your morning stretches.
Overall, California deserves Lena Dunham’s approval, as seven additional cities rank in the top 25. San Diego (No. 54) and Los Angeles (No. 81), however, border on mainstream living.
Hipster No More?
Where did other iconic hipster cities land? Seattle sits comfortably at No. 16, Denver at No. 37, Austin at No. 64, and New York at No. 67. Chicago sadly slips to the lower half at No. 84.
That’s not to say these famously hipster cores have lost their bohemian charm. Hipsters usually tend to cluster in neighborhoods rather than spread out throughout a metro.
In Seattle, for instance, Capitol Hill is home base, while in Chicago hipsters gravitate toward Wicker Park. In New York, of course, the Williamsburg neighborhood (in the Brooklyn borough) has become synonymous with hipsterism.
Our ranking focuses on the entire city, not just a few blocks. You may need to zoom in on the map to find flannel and vinyl.
Methodology
We ranked the 150 biggest U.S. cities from best (No. 1) to worst (No. 150) based on their overall scores (out of 100 possible points), averaged across all the weighted metrics listed below.
Metric | Weighting | Min. Value | Max. Value | Best |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fashion | ||||
Thrift Stores per 100,000 Residents | 3 | 0 | 60.51 | Max. Value |
Vintage-Clothing and Consignment Shops per 100,000 Residents | 3 | 0 | 14.99 | Max. Value |
Tattoo Parlors per 100,000 Residents | 2 | 0.4 | 26.65 | Max. Value |
Barber Shops per 100,000 Residents | 1 | 2.85 | 47.52 | Max. Value |
Lifestyle | ||||
Environmental Consciousness | 3 | 1 | 198 | Min. Value |
Biking-Friendliness | 3 | 1 | 200 | Min. Value |
Car-Free-Friendliness | 3 | 1 | 150 | Min. Value |
Yoga Studios per 100,000 Residents | 1 | 0.5 | 40.7 | Max. Value |
Culture | ||||
Record Stores per 100,000 Residents | 1 | 0 | 3.53 | Max. Value |
Music Venues per 100,000 Residents | 1 | 0 | 15.1 | Max. Value |
Antique Shops per 100,000 Residents | 1 | 0 | 28.87 | Max. Value |
"Local Flavor" Spots per 100,000 Residents | 3 | 0 | 27.32 | Max. Value |
Art Galleries per 100,000 Residents | 1 | 0 | 61.66 | Max. Value |
Art Events per 100,000 Residents | 1 | 0.34 | 725.12 | Max. Value |
Food and Drink | ||||
Locavore-Friendliness | 3 | 1 | 150 | Min. Value |
Urban Gardening-Friendliness | 3 | 1 | 150 | Min. Value |
Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants per 100,000 Residents | 2 | 0 | 14.13 | Max. Value |
Farmers Markets per 100,000 Residents | 2 | 0 | 18.34 | Max. Value |
Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Locations per 100,000 Residents | 2 | 0 | 2.5 | Max. Value |
Coffee Roasteries per 100,000 Residents | 2 | 0 | 6.35 | Max. Value |
Craft Breweries per 100,000 Residents | 2 | 0 | 8.21 | Max. Value |
Dive Bars per 100,000 Residents | 2 | 0 | 15.35 | Max. Value |
Sources: BreweryDB, Eventbrite, LawnStarter, TheThriftShopper.Com, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Yelp
Main Photo Credit: giorgiomtb / www.shutterstock.com