Coffee first became popular in the U.S. after the Boston Tea Party, when the switch was seen as “patriotic,” according to PBS. And since Starbucks debuted in 1971, the drink is now accessible almost anywhere you go. A recent survey by the National Coffee Association found that 66% of Americans drink coffee every day, with a total of around 519 million cups consumed daily.
What gave way to java culture? Science, for one, has convinced us that caffeine possesses multiple health benefits besides mental stimulation. At the right dosages, caffeine may contribute to longevity. Perhaps just as important, though, is coffee’s social purpose. Today, coffee stations are a staple of the workplace, and tens of thousands of shops serve as meeting places for friends, dates and coworkers.
Some local coffee scenes are stronger than others. To determine the best among them, WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across 12 key indicators of coffee lover-friendliness. Our data set ranges from coffee shops, coffee houses and cafés per capita to the average price per pack of coffee.
Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst
Main Findings
Best Coffee Cities in America
| Overall Rank* | City | Total Score | Info | Overall Rank* | City | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland, OR | 71.09 | Info | 51 | Virginia Beach, VA | 47.30 |
| 2 | Orlando, FL | 69.44 | Info | 52 | Fremont, CA | 46.83 |
| 3 | Long Beach, CA | 65.46 | Info | 53 | St. Petersburg, FL | 46.19 |
| 4 | Miami, FL | 63.94 | Info | 54 | Garland, TX | 46.13 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | 63.82 | Info | 55 | Aurora, CO | 45.85 |
| 6 | Tampa, FL | 63.62 | Info | 56 | Buffalo, NY | 45.71 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | 62.84 | Info | 57 | Gilbert, AZ | 45.41 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | 62.61 | Info | 58 | Chandler, AZ | 45.32 |
| 9 | Oakland, CA | 62.53 | Info | 59 | Bakersfield, CA | 45.18 |
| 10 | Pittsburgh, PA | 60.87 | Info | 60 | Boise, ID | 44.45 |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | 60.00 | Info | 61 | St. Paul, MN | 44.32 |
| 12 | Las Vegas, NV | 59.10 | Info | 62 | Lincoln, NE | 44.18 |
| 13 | Los Angeles, CA | 59.02 | Info | 63 | Tucson, AZ | 44.01 |
| 14 | New Orleans, LA | 58.72 | Info | 64 | Jacksonville, FL | 43.93 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | 58.17 | Info | 65 | Newark, NJ | 43.89 |
| 16 | Sacramento, CA | 58.10 | Info | 66 | Arlington, TX | 43.66 |
| 17 | Honolulu, HI | 57.79 | Info | 67 | Irving, TX | 43.48 |
| 18 | San Diego, CA | 57.54 | Info | 68 | Madison, WI | 42.23 |
| 19 | Boston, MA | 56.61 | Info | 69 | Norfolk, VA | 42.11 |
| 20 | Cincinnati, OH | 56.36 | Info | 70 | North Las Vegas, NV | 42.01 |
| 21 | Irvine, CA | 56.27 | Info | 71 | Baltimore, MD | 41.97 |
| 22 | Houston, TX | 55.70 | Info | 72 | Tulsa, OK | 41.00 |
| 23 | Minneapolis, MN | 55.46 | Info | 73 | Stockton, CA | 40.67 |
| 24 | Philadelphia, PA | 55.17 | Info | 74 | Columbus, OH | 40.66 |
| 25 | Washington, DC | 55.07 | Info | 75 | Durham, NC | 40.58 |
| 26 | Scottsdale, AZ | 54.94 | Info | 76 | Fresno, CA | 40.56 |
| 27 | Jersey City, NJ | 54.37 | Info | 77 | Anchorage, AK | 40.43 |
| 28 | Reno, NV | 54.34 | Info | 78 | Wichita, KS | 39.82 |
| 29 | Dallas, TX | 53.80 | Info | 79 | Mesa, AZ | 39.62 |
| 30 | Chicago, IL | 53.63 | Info | 80 | El Paso, TX | 39.33 |
| 31 | Phoenix, AZ | 53.19 | Info | 81 | Henderson, NV | 39.24 |
| 32 | Santa Ana, CA | 52.53 | Info | 82 | Fort Wayne, IN | 38.98 |
| 33 | Anaheim, CA | 52.19 | Info | 83 | Chesapeake, VA | 38.74 |
| 34 | St. Louis, MO | 51.71 | Info | 84 | Winston-Salem, NC | 38.14 |
| 35 | Raleigh, NC | 50.52 | Info | 85 | Chula Vista, CA | 37.77 |
| 36 | New York, NY | 50.23 | Info | 86 | Milwaukee, WI | 37.74 |
| 37 | Kansas City, MO | 50.10 | Info | 87 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 37.41 |
| 38 | Nashville, TN | 49.91 | Info | 88 | Cleveland, OH | 36.79 |
| 39 | Albuquerque, NM | 49.63 | Info | 89 | Glendale, AZ | 35.69 |
| 40 | Fort Worth, TX | 49.49 | Info | 90 | Birmingham, AL | 35.66 |
| 41 | Oklahoma City, OK | 49.44 | Info | 91 | Baton Rouge, LA | 35.33 |
| 42 | San Jose, CA | 49.07 | Info | 92 | Corpus Christi, TX | 35.28 |
| 43 | Plano, TX | 48.77 | Info | 93 | Greensboro, NC | 33.94 |
| 44 | San Antonio, TX | 48.75 | Info | 94 | Memphis, TN | 32.77 |
| 45 | Louisville, KY | 48.66 | Info | 95 | San Bernardino, CA | 32.55 |
| 46 | Riverside, CA | 48.18 | Info | 96 | Lubbock, TX | 32.08 |
| 47 | Indianapolis, IN | 48.14 | Info | 97 | Detroit, MI | 31.81 |
| 48 | Colorado Springs, CO | 48.02 | Info | 98 | Toledo, OH | 31.19 |
| 49 | Omaha, NE | 47.87 | Info | 99 | Hialeah, FL | 31.07 |
| 50 | Charlotte, NC | 47.61 | Info | 100 | Laredo, TX | 23.94 |
Note: *No. 1 = Best
- Lowest
- 1. Garland, TX
- 2. Aurora, CO
- 3. Cincinnati, OH
- 4. Corpus Christi, TX
- 5. Toledo, OH
- Highest
- 95. Colorado Springs, CO
- 96. Boise, ID
- 97. El Paso, TX
- 98. Honolulu, HI
- 99. Lubbock, TX
- Lowest
- 1. Buffalo, NY
- 2. New Orleans, LA
- 3. Corpus Christi, TX
- 4. Lubbock, TX
- 5. Baton Rouge, LA
- Highest
- 89. Seattle, WA
- 90. Fremont, CA
- 91. San Francisco, CA
- 92. Anchorage, AK
- 93. Honolulu, HI
- Highest
- T-1. Fremont, CA
- T-1. San Francisco, CA
- T-1. San Jose, CA
- T-1. Seattle, WA
- T-1. Irvine, CA
- Lowest
- 96. Newark, NJ
- 97. Hialeah, FL
- 98. Toledo, OH
- 99. Cleveland, OH
- 100. Detroit, MI
- Highest
- 1. Santa Ana, CA
- 2. San Bernardino, CA
- 3. Newark, NJ
- 4. Hialeah, FL
- 5. Anaheim, CA
- Lowest
- 96. Louisville, KY
- 97. Virginia Beach, VA
- 98. St. Petersburg, FL
- 99. Henderson, NV
- 100. Scottsdale, AZ
- Highest
- 1. Fremont, CA
- 2. Gilbert, AZ
- 3. Scottsdale, AZ
- 4. Irvine, CA
- 5. San Jose, CA
- Lowest
- 96. Buffalo, NY
- 97. Birmingham, AL
- 98. Cleveland, OH
- 99. Newark, NJ
- 100. Detroit, MI
- Most
- T-1. Las Vegas, NV
- T-1. Honolulu, HI
- T-1. San Diego, CA
- T-1. North Las Vegas, NV
- T-1. San Francisco, CA
- Fewest
- 95. Baton Rouge, LA
- 96. Lubbock, TX
- 97. Newark, NJ
- 98. Corpus Christi, TX
- 99. Laredo, TX
- Most
- 1. Pittsburgh, PA
- 2. Cincinnati, OH
- 3. Orlando, FL
- 4. St. Louis, MO
- 5. Honolulu, HI
- Fewest
- 96. San Bernardino, CA
- 97. Hialeah, FL
- 98. Los Angeles, CA
- 99. Laredo, TX
- 100. New York, NY
- Most
- T-1. Portland, OR
- T-1. San Francisco, CA
- T-1. Oakland, CA
- T-1. Fremont, CA
- 5. Austin, TX
- Fewest
- 89. Orlando, FL
- 90. Lexington-Fayette, KY
- 91. Greensboro, NC
- 92. Tulsa, OK
- 93. Fresno, CA
- Most
- T-1. Orlando, FL
- T-1. Houston, TX
- T-1. Philadelphia, PA
- T-1. Dallas, TX
- T-1. Chicago, IL
- Fewest
- 96. Norfolk, VA
- 97. Henderson, NV
- 98. Boise, ID
- 99. Laredo, TX
- 100. Anchorage, AK
In-Depth Look at the Best Cities for Coffee Lovers
Portland, OR
Portland, OR, is the best coffee city, in large part because it has an extremely high number of affordable coffee shops that are rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5. It also has the eighth-most coffee shops per capita that offer free Wi-Fi, which is great for anyone who wants to work while enjoying a cup of java.
People in Portland don’t always go out for coffee, though. Nearly 24% of the population owns an electric coffee grinder, the 11th-highest percentage in the nation, and around 27% of residents own a single-cup or pod-brewing coffee maker.
Overall, households in Portland spend an average of roughly $192 per year on coffee, the 20th-most in the country.
Orlando, FL
Orlando is the second-best city for coffee lovers, and its coffee-crazy households spend an average of over $154 on the beverage each year. The city also hosts coffee fest events, making it a true hub for caffeine enthusiasts and specialty brews.
In addition, Orlando has a ton of coffee shops, and it ranks among the top cities for affordable shops that are rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5. Plus, for those who want a sweet treat to pair with their cup of Joe, the city has the most donut shops per capita.
Long Beach, CA
Long Beach is the third-best coffee city, and like the other top cities, it boasts a very high number of coffee shop options, especially ones rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5. Long Beach also has the 24th-highest share of coffee shops that offer free Wi-Fi per capita.
One way that Long Beach residents and visitors demonstrate their love of java is through their search history, as they search Google for “coffee” more than people in all but six other cities. In addition, Long Beach residents spend an average of over $171 per year on coffee.
Finally, Long Beach has the 14th-highest percentage of residents with an espresso or cappuccino machine, and the 28th-highest percentage with an electric coffee grinder.
Ask the Experts
For more insight on the massive coffee industry in the U.S. and its coffee-craving consumers, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:
- What tips do you have for a person who wishes to enjoy their daily java cup while on a budget?
- Why are some people willing to spend two or three times more for a comparable cup of coffee?
- Why is coffee so popular in the U.S?
- In the current economic environment, is opening a coffee shop as a first business for young entrepreneurs still a good idea, or are most markets already oversaturated?
- What are the main coffee and tea marketing and industry trends for 2025?
Ask the Experts
Director, INSITE & StartUp Learning Community; Affiliate, Division of the Arts, Bolz Center for Arts Administration & Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship, Wisconsin School of Business – University of Wisconsin – Madison
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Program Manager | NC State Entrepreneurship Clinic; Founder | Elephants; Goodnight Scholar Alumnus, Graphic Communications | NC State University
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Director, Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship, Senior Professorial Lecturer, MGMT, Kogod School of Business - American University
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Ph.D. – Director, Means Center for Entrepreneurial Studies | Professor - Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Department of Management - Illinois State University
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Associate Professor of Strategy and Corporate Social Responsibility - Webster University
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Associate Professor, Arkansas State University, College of Business
Read More
Methodology
To determine the best cities for coffee lovers, WalletHub compared the 100 most populated U.S. cities across 12 key metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric also was graded on a 100-point scale.
We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. A total score of 100 represents the most favorable conditions for coffee lovers.
In collecting our sample, please note that we considered only the “city proper” in each case and excluded the cities in the surrounding metro area. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.
- Average Price per Pack of Coffee: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
- Average Price of a Cappuccino: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
- Average Spending on Coffee per Household: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
- Share of Adult Coffee Drinkers: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of adults who reported drinking “ready-to-drink” coffee in the past six months. “Ready-to-drink” includes already prepared coffee found in the cold section of grocery stores. - Share of Households that Own Coffee Makers: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
Note: This metric includes households that own electric coffee grinders, coffee makers (single-cup/pod-brewing) and/or espresso/cappuccino makers. - Affordable Coffee Shops, Coffee Houses & Cafés Rated 4.5+ Stars per Capita*: Double Weight (~14.29 Points)
- Coffee Shops, Coffee Houses & Cafés per Capita*: Double Weight (~14.29 Points)
- Coffee & Tea Manufacturers per Capita*: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
- Coffee Shops with Free Wi-Fi per Capita*: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
- Donut Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
- Google Search Traffic for the Term “Coffee”: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
Note: Search traffic was measured as a share of the national average. - Presence of Coffee-Centric Events: Full Weight (~7.14 Points)
Note: Composite metric:
1 – the city hosts a coffee centric event
0 – the city doesn’t host a coffee centric event (Caffeine Crawl, Coffee Fest, Coffee Championship)
Sources: Data used to create this report were collected as of August 20, 2025 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Council for Community and Economic Research, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Numbeo, Google Trends, Yelp, Esri's Updated Demographics, GfK MRI, Caffeine Crawl, Coffee Fest and U.S. Coffee Championships.
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