The Best Cities for Thrift Shopping | CouponFollow
As the holiday season approaches, many Americans are exploring creative ways to shop on a budget. Thrift shopping has become an appealing option for those looking to give meaningful, unique gifts without overspending.
This report ranks the best U.S. cities for thrift shopping, highlighting where shoppers are most likely to find variety, affordability, and quality. Using a mix of Yelp data and survey insights, we reveal the locations that offer the most options for thrifty finds and uncover trends in how Americans are thrifting gifts this year.
Key Takeaways
- New York City and Newark, NJ, are the best cities for thrifting.
- Long Beach and Irvine, CA, have the most affordable thrift stores.
- New Orleans has the most highly rated thrift stores.
- Thrift shopping saves Americans an average of over $2,000 each year.
- 71% of thrift shoppers have noticed an increase in prices in the past year, and 50% feel that thrift stores are becoming too expensive.
- Nearly 1 in 4 Americans plan to shop at thrift stores for holiday gifts this year, and Gen Z are the most likely to do so (34%).
- Nearly 1 in 3 Americans (32%) have received a secondhand/thrifted item as a gift.
Best Cities in America for Thrifting
America’s top cities for thrift shopping offer a variety of unique options perfect for holiday gifting. Some cities led the way with abundant secondhand shopping opportunities, while others presented fewer choices for thrifty finds.
Find the full ranking here
Top 10 Cities for Thrifting
- New York, NY
- Newark, NJ
- Los Angeles, CA
- Long Beach, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Arlington, TX
- Irvine, CA
- Jersey City, NJ
- San Bernardino, CA
- Chicago, IL
Bottom 10 Cities for Thrifting
100. Laredo, TX
99. Lubbock, TX
98. Anchorage, AK
97. Corpus Christi, TX
96. Wichita, KS
95. Memphis, TN
94. Madison, WI
93. Scottsdale, AZ
92. Bakersfield, CA
91. El Paso, TX
New York City topped the 2024 list as the best city for thrifting, offering an impressive selection of affordable thrift stores and vintage shops, followed closely by Newark, NJ. Los Angeles, California, ranked No. 1 in our previous thrift shopping study but came in third this time.
Despite this, California is still a thrifting hotspot, with four more of its cities—Long Beach, Oakland, Irvine, and San Bernardino—ranking among the top 10. These West Coast locations continue to attract both budget-conscious shoppers and fashion enthusiasts.
Top Thrifting Cities by Store Variety & Affordability
With an impressive variety of secondhand options, some cities stood out for their concentration of thrift stores, flea markets, and affordable finds. Let’s explore which cities offer the best thrifting experience across several factors, including affordability and store ratings.
New York City (178), Chandler, AZ (139), and Newark, NJ (137) led in the number of thrift stores available on Yelp, making them prime destinations for anyone seeking extensive secondhand shopping options.
While Los Angeles was previously the most affordable city for thrifting, Long Beach and Irvine, California, are now the top cities for low-cost thrift stores New Orleans topped the list for highly rated thrift stores, with 27 shops rated 4.5 stars or higher, which speaks to both quality and customer satisfaction.
Why Americans Thrift & How It’s Shaping Holiday Gifting
Thrift shopping is a practical way to save money—and now, it’s becoming part of people’s gifting traditions. Based on our survey, here’s a closer look at why Americans thrift and how much they save by buying secondhand.
A large majority of Americans (85%) still agreed that thrifting is good for the environment, with more shoppers now believing it’s a sustainable solution to fast fashion (70% in 2024 vs. 62% in 2022). Their top reason for thrifting also shifted over the past two years.
In our 2022 study, people were most likely to thrift to save money (85%), help the environment (42%), and find discounted high-end brands (40%). This year, thrifters were still motivated the most by savings (88%), but finding unique clothing (41%) and “treasure” (35%) ranked second and third.
Thrift shopping remains a practical way for Americans to cut costs, with the average annual savings climbing from $1,760 in 2022 to $2,071 in 2024.
Even though 71% of thrift shoppers have noticed rising prices over the past year and half feel that thrifting has become too expensive, the significant savings show that it remains a valuable option for those on a budget.
Nearly 1 in 4 Americans plan to shop at thrift stores for holiday gifts this year. Leading the way, Gen Z shoppers are the most likely to give thrifted gifts, with 34% planning to buy secondhand items for loved ones.
Gen Z also showed the highest comfort level with receiving thrifted gifts—12% said they prefer secondhand presents, and 68% wouldn’t mind them as long as they are in good condition.
Overall, almost one-third of Americans (32%) have received a thrifted gift, showing how secondhand items have found a place in holiday celebrations.
Thrift Shopping Hotspots & Holiday Trends
Thrift shopping has become an essential part of budgeting for many Americans, whether for everyday needs or special holiday gifts. Our analysis shows New York and Newark leading in thrift store variety, while Long Beach and Irvine offer great bargains, and New Orleans stands out for quality. As rising costs challenge shoppers, thrift stores can be a valuable resource this holiday season.
Methodology
We collected Yelp data on thrift, vintage, and consignment stores, as well as flea markets in major U.S. cities. Data was collected on 10/22/2024. The Yelp API can only return a maximum of 240 establishments per city. For the metaranking, we weighted the variables as follows:
- Number of thrift stores: 25%
- Number of vintage and consignment stores: 25%
- Number of flea markets: 25%
- Number of highly rated thrift stores (rated 4.5 stars or higher): 8.33%
- Number of affordable thrift stores (rated $): 8.33%
- Thrift store popularity based on number of reviews: 8.33%
We then surveyed 1,000 Americans to explore their thoughts on thrift shopping. Of the respondents, 72% shop at thrift stores at least a few times a year, and 28% once a year or less. The survey was conducted on 10/20/2024 and 10/21/2024.
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Fair Use Statement
We encourage you to share these findings on America’s best cities for thrift shopping for noncommercial purposes—just remember to include a link back to this page.
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