Love a good deal? This city is the thrift capital of America
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A new ranking is stirring buzz among bargain hunters and resale devotees alike, revealing which US city stands out as the true thrifting capital.
For those who scour secondhand racks in search of vintage gems or high-end labels at bottom-barrel prices, the data suggests one metro area delivers more than just quantity.
With scores based on affordability, quality, and availability of resale shops and flea markets, some cities are clearly ahead. Whether you're a casual browser or a seasoned flipper, the results might surprise you.
According to a study by furniture retailer Joybird, Riverside, California has earned the title of America's top thrifting city.
The southern California metro scored 37 out of 50, thanks to its blend of strong Yelp reviews, lower-than-average resale prices, and a significant number of home organization services per capita.
The company said: “Safe to say that the closets of Riverside locals are well cleaned out, and the neighborhood thrift stores are stocked with high-quality pre-owned clothes!”
Despite its proximity to pricier Los Angeles, Riverside's scene remains affordable and widely praised.
Atlanta, Georgia landed in second place overall, outperforming other metros in terms of volume. It has the highest number of thrift stores, flea markets, and clothing donation centers per 100,000 residents among the top five.
Columbus, Ohio claimed third, known particularly for its highly-rated flea markets that attract both local and out-of-town treasure hunters.
Meanwhile, Orlando, Florida showed no standout stat but scored consistently well across every factor analyzed.
Tampa rounded out the top five, bolstered by above-average thrift store reviews and more wallet-friendly prices than many coastal cities.
Also read: The end of an era—Party City stores shutting down forever!
While it lacks the thrift shop saturation of places like Atlanta, it still ranked highly due to strong user feedback and consistent availability.
Across the board, cities with diverse resale ecosystems and lower price points climbed the ranks. By contrast, metro areas like San Francisco, New York, Boston, and D.C. scored low due to higher costs and less accessibility.
Joybird’s methodology weighed several variables pulled from Yelp, including star ratings and cost levels for thrift stores, flea markets, and clothing donation centers.
It also considered the availability of home organization services, which often signal how frequently households offload unused but quality items into the resale market.
Their goal, the company said, was to identify “a combination of access to secondhand goods, affordability, and high-quality stores.” That broader data approach favored cities with consistent resale activity across multiple touchpoints.
Thrifting’s rise in popularity over the last decade has been fueled by a range of factors—sustainability concerns, inflation pressures, and social media trends among them.
Nationally, over 25,000 resale and consignment shops now operate in the US, and the market generated around $53 billion in revenue in 2023.
Approximately one-third of clothing items purchased last year were secondhand, and shoppers who thrift regularly save an average of $1,760 annually. The growth of resale apps and online marketplaces has only accelerated these trends.
Also read: America’s filthiest city? It’s not the one everyone expected
Some of the most valuable thrift finds to date underscore just how lucrative the hobby can be. Items like $0.34 Tiffany earrings later valued at $430, or a $5.99 American Girl doll worth $300, have made headlines.
In one case, a customer paid $20 for a gold record plaque tied to DJ Quik’s 1992 album Way 2 Fonky—valued at ten times that price. Whether for profit or passion, these stories continue to inspire shoppers to keep hunting.
Read next: Could this city be America’s most affordable place to live?
So, is your city one of America’s top thrifting hotspots—or do you think it’s been overlooked? Do you have a local thrift shop that always delivers, or a story about a surprising secondhand find? Share your best hidden gems or brag-worthy scores in the comments—we want to hear where you thrift and what keeps you coming back.
For those who scour secondhand racks in search of vintage gems or high-end labels at bottom-barrel prices, the data suggests one metro area delivers more than just quantity.
With scores based on affordability, quality, and availability of resale shops and flea markets, some cities are clearly ahead. Whether you're a casual browser or a seasoned flipper, the results might surprise you.
According to a study by furniture retailer Joybird, Riverside, California has earned the title of America's top thrifting city.
The southern California metro scored 37 out of 50, thanks to its blend of strong Yelp reviews, lower-than-average resale prices, and a significant number of home organization services per capita.
The company said: “Safe to say that the closets of Riverside locals are well cleaned out, and the neighborhood thrift stores are stocked with high-quality pre-owned clothes!”
Despite its proximity to pricier Los Angeles, Riverside's scene remains affordable and widely praised.
Atlanta, Georgia landed in second place overall, outperforming other metros in terms of volume. It has the highest number of thrift stores, flea markets, and clothing donation centers per 100,000 residents among the top five.
Columbus, Ohio claimed third, known particularly for its highly-rated flea markets that attract both local and out-of-town treasure hunters.
Meanwhile, Orlando, Florida showed no standout stat but scored consistently well across every factor analyzed.
Tampa rounded out the top five, bolstered by above-average thrift store reviews and more wallet-friendly prices than many coastal cities.
Also read: The end of an era—Party City stores shutting down forever!
While it lacks the thrift shop saturation of places like Atlanta, it still ranked highly due to strong user feedback and consistent availability.
Across the board, cities with diverse resale ecosystems and lower price points climbed the ranks. By contrast, metro areas like San Francisco, New York, Boston, and D.C. scored low due to higher costs and less accessibility.
Joybird’s methodology weighed several variables pulled from Yelp, including star ratings and cost levels for thrift stores, flea markets, and clothing donation centers.
It also considered the availability of home organization services, which often signal how frequently households offload unused but quality items into the resale market.
Their goal, the company said, was to identify “a combination of access to secondhand goods, affordability, and high-quality stores.” That broader data approach favored cities with consistent resale activity across multiple touchpoints.
Thrifting’s rise in popularity over the last decade has been fueled by a range of factors—sustainability concerns, inflation pressures, and social media trends among them.
Nationally, over 25,000 resale and consignment shops now operate in the US, and the market generated around $53 billion in revenue in 2023.
Approximately one-third of clothing items purchased last year were secondhand, and shoppers who thrift regularly save an average of $1,760 annually. The growth of resale apps and online marketplaces has only accelerated these trends.
Also read: America’s filthiest city? It’s not the one everyone expected
Some of the most valuable thrift finds to date underscore just how lucrative the hobby can be. Items like $0.34 Tiffany earrings later valued at $430, or a $5.99 American Girl doll worth $300, have made headlines.
In one case, a customer paid $20 for a gold record plaque tied to DJ Quik’s 1992 album Way 2 Fonky—valued at ten times that price. Whether for profit or passion, these stories continue to inspire shoppers to keep hunting.
Read next: Could this city be America’s most affordable place to live?
