The 20 best US cities for coffee lovers, ranked
Melissa Wells
- Ahead of National Coffee Day, WalletHub released a report ranking the best coffee cities in the US.
- Cities were ranked on factors such as coffee shops per capita and the average cost of a cappuccino.
Americans love their coffee.
In fact, people in the US consume a total of 491 million cups of coffee a day, the National Coffee Association reported.
Ahead of National Coffee Day, which falls on September 29, personal-finance website WalletHub identified the best cities for coffee lovers in the US in 2023.
Its report ranked the 100 most populated cities in the US based on 12 factors, including the number of coffee shops, cafés, and coffee houses per capita; the average price of a pack of coffee; the average spending on coffee per household; and the share of households that own coffee makers. Using these factors, it gave each city a score out of 100 for "coffee-lover friendliness," determining which cities are the best to get coffee.
These 20 states earned the highest scores in WalletHub's report.
20. Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the 20th best city for coffee lovers in the US, according to WalletHub's study, scoring ahead of other major cities in the state, like Houston (27th) and Fort Worth (33rd).
Other Texas cities also fared well in WalletHub's data: Laredo and Arlington rank first and second, respectively, for the lowest-average price of a cappuccino.
19. Sacramento, California
Sacramento isn't the only Northern California city that loves coffee: Fremont and San Francisco tie for first for the highest average spending on coffee per household, according to WalletHub's data. San Jose follows close behind in third.
18. Los Angeles, California
Among the 100 cities studied by WalletHub, Los Angeles has the fourth-highest percentage of adult coffee drinkers.
17. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is the only city in Massachusetts included in WalletHub's list.
It has the most doughnut shops per capita, alongside Philadelphia; Chicago; Fort Worth, Texas, and Orlando, Florida.
16. Denver, Colorado
Denver is the 16th best city for coffee lovers in the US, and the top city in Colorado, according to WalletHub's ranking.
15. Long Beach, California
Long Beach is home to the highest average price of a cappuccino. Nearby Santa Ana has the highest percentage of adult coffee drinkers, according to WalletHub.
14. Atlanta, Georgia
According to a 2021 report by Metro Atlanta CEO, Atlanta had 192 coffee shops and ranked sixth out of Georgia's most coffee-obsessed towns and cities, although it's the state's only city to make WalletHub's list.
13. Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas and North Las Vegas tied with San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland, Oregon, for most affordable coffee shops, coffee houses, and cafés rated more than 4.5 stars per capita.
12. Miami, Florida
Miami has dropped positions since WalletHub's 2020 report, in which it ranked fifth.
11. San Diego, California
The "coffee craze" in the city is alive and well, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported in April, noting that more than 850 coffee shops exist in San Diego County alone, according to visitcalifornia.com.
Nearby cities of Riverside, California, and San Bernardino, California, rank fourth lowest for the average price of a cappuccino on WalletHub's list.
10. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh has the second-most coffee shops, coffee houses, and cafés per capita, only behind Orlando, Florida.
9. New Orleans, Louisiana
Tasting Table reported the first shipment of coffee arrived in New Orleans from Cuba in the 18th century. By the 1840s, New Orleans was the second-largest port for coffee in the country and has since become a key part of the international coffee trade, according to the report.
8. Oakland, California
Oakland, California, lands on the top spot for most coffee and tea manufacturers per capita alongside Portland, Oregon, San Francisco, and Fremont, California. It is also the location of the fifth-highest average price per pack of coffee.
7. Austin, Texas
Austin is the highest-ranked Texas city on WalletHub's list.
In her "ultimate guide to Austin," Insider's Kirstie Renae recommended visitors check out Mozart's, "a favorite coffee shop and bakery that features live music and a patio with must-see views of Lake Austin."
6. Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida, is ranked fifth for the most coffee shops, coffee houses, and cafés per capita.
5. Honolulu, Hawaii
WalletHub reports that Honolulu is the city with the highest average price per pack of coffee. The city also ranks fourth for most coffee shops, coffee houses, and cafés per capita.
4. Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida, is the city with the second-lowest average price per pack of coffee, only behind Raleigh, North Carolina.
3. Seattle, Washington
Among the 100 largest US cities, Seattle has the most affordable coffee shops, coffee houses, and cafés rated more than 4.5 stars per capita, alongside Portland, Oregon; San Francisco; Las Vegas; and North Las Vegas, Nevada.
2. Portland, Oregon
According to WalletHub, Portland, Oregon, shares the top spot for most coffee and tea manufacturers per capita with San Francisco; Oakland, California; and Fremont, California.
1. San Francisco, California
Ranking No. 1 overall, San Francisco ties for first in the highest average spending on coffee per household, alongside Fremont, California.
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