What are the safe havens for
nonconformists across the country to share a love for all things vintage,
vinyl, scruffy beards, and very specific music? Thankfully, LawnStarter has helped compile that important
information. By considering and comparing 23 non-mainstream factors that make
cities ideal for the free spirit, LawnStarter created a list of the best cities
for hipsters. Some of these factors include access to thrift stores and farmers
markets, as well as amount of record stores and urban gardening, as well as, of
course, bike friendliness.
Based on this research, New Orleans
was ranked the 10th best city for hipsters with an overall score of 53.
LawnStarter broke down their methodology into categories with subcategories.
Culture, for example, included record stores, music venues, antique shops,
"local flavor," art galleries, and art events each per 100,000 residents. Other
categories like fashion included thrift stores, vintage clothing and
consignment shops, tattoo parlors, and barber shops each per 100,000 residents.
New Orleans ranked 31 in the fashion category, which is the highest score for
that category amongst the top ten cities. This is probably the least surprising
score, seeing as how New Orleans is known (quite literally worldwide) for its
incredible antiques and shopping. The city is littered with thrift stores and
funky costume shops. There's never risk of a boring outfit. Additionally, New
Orleans scores 63 in the lifestyle category. The section includes environmental
consciousness, biking friendliness, car-free-friendliness, and yoga studios per
100,000 residents. Because of the beautiful and useful streetcar, New Orleans
scores high as a city to live in without a car. The same can be said about
bikes. The residential areas in New Orleans are extremely bike friendly!
Interestingly, cities in Texas, neighbor to Louisiana, ranked very low. LawnStarter relayed how shocking that result was considering Austin is a historic hipster hotspot. Nevertheless, iced coffee with oat-milk lovers, this list is for you. If you're looking to upgrade your vinyl and vintage shopping experience, check out the research at lawnstarter.com.
