Geekiest Cities in the United States in 2022
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Whether you’re a gamer, tech wizard, or just dream of intergalactic travels, there are many places where you can live out your geeky dreams.
Which U.S. cities are best for letting your geek flag fly?
To mark Embrace Your Geekness Day on July 13, Lawn Love ranked 2022’s Geekiest Cities.
We compared the 200 largest U.S. cities, using metrics like stores selling comics, video games, trading cards, and board games. We also looked at the number of geek Meetup groups, costume shops (for cosplayers), and whether the city has hosted events like Comic-Cons and Renaissance festivals.
Geek out with our city rankings and analysis to plot out where you can live long and prosper (or visit for a nerdy adventure).
In this article
- City rankings
- The upshot
- Expert take
- Behind the ranking
- Final thoughts: Not all those who wander are lost
City rankings
See how each city fared in our ranking:
Results in depth
Magical New York
New York is The City That Never Sleeps — maybe because everyone’s staying up late playing Dungeons & Dragons? Gotham topped our list of 2022’s Geekiest Cities, earning 25.25 more points than the next geekiest city and bringing home the gold in the Costumes, Collectibles, and Community categories.
Abundant costume shops might not come as a surprise in a city full of designers and thespians, but Peter Parker’s hometown is also home to the most comic book shops and video game stores of all the cities in our ranking.
Local tips:
Game (and grub) on at Action Burger, where you can split a 101-ounce infinity tower party drink with your friends while keeping entertained playing more than 50,000 arcade and video games.
Cowboys vs. Clone Troopers
LARPing might be gaining popularity over lassoing these days in the Lone Star State. Three Texas cities landed in our top 10: San Antonio (No. 5), Houston (No. 6), and Austin (No. 9).
Easy access to Collectibles and Costumes gave each of these cities a boost. San Antonio and Austin tie for the most board game and trading card shops, while SA and Houston both have abundant comic book and video game stores to explore.
Alamo City and Space City each get extra points for hosting big conventions like Big Texas Comicon and Comicpalooza.
Local tips:
- San Antonio: Knight Watch Games is the late-night (or daytime) spot for SA geeks looking to get together over tabletop games or Magic the Gathering.
- Houston: Read your favorite comics from Third Planet before finding the perfect pieces at Four Quarters Costumes for your next cosplay.
- Austin: Gather at Guzu Gallery to find collectible toys and pop culture art, or seek fellowship at Vigilante Gastropub and Games, where you can play on hand-built gaming tables while getting a bite to eat.
West Coast wizards
It’s no shock that geek culture is alive and well along the Pacific. No. 2 Los Angeles’ creative industry is the beating heart of big fandoms, like Star Trek. No wonder La-La Land earned silver, falling just behind NYC in Collectibles and Costumes (No. 2 in both categories).
Up the coast, traditionally geeky (and tech-nerdy) cities like Portland (No. 10), San Francisco (No. 11), and Seattle (No. 15) fared well, too. Collectibles and Community brought these three West Coast cities to the top.
Local tips:
- Los Angeles: WonderCon, one of the biggest West Coast conventions, is back in person this year in Anaheim. But no geeky visit to LA is complete without stopping by the Scum and Villainy Cantina, a Star Wars-themed bar serving up all things sci-fi.
- Portland: Play from about 100 pinball and arcade games at QuarterWorld, then celebrate your wins at one of their two bars.
- San Francisco: Make it a star date at the California Academy of Sciences. Explore faraway galaxies in their planetarium before adventuring through their four-story rainforest.
- Seattle: Get lost in aisles of comics, vintage toys, and figurines at Golden Age Collectables, the oldest comic book store in the world.
Superheroes in Sin City
Hop in the TARDIS and head to The Strip: Las Vegas (No. 3) brings home the bronze with high scores across every metric, establishing itself as a geek-approved destination for all kinds of fandoms.
There’s no limit to the entertainment available in Sin City. It won’t be hard to cosplay as your favorite character at Comic-Con (No. 4 in this metric) or dress up for the next Renaissance Fair (No. 3), thanks to abundant costume shops (No. 3). They also have plenty of comic book and video game stores for the more introverted geeks to explore.
Meanwhile, suburbs Paradise, Sunrise Manor, Enterprise, and Spring Valley tied for last place alongside Miramar, Florida. Residents in these cities must head to Vegas to fulfill their geeky needs.
Local tips:
Las Vegas: Join the leagues of Iron Man and Thor at Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N., an immersive exhibit displaying iconic costumes, weapons, and equipment from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Expert take
You may be one with the force, but there’s always more to learn in the realm of geeks and nerds.
What is a geek exactly? And how should a novice approach their first Comic-Con? We reached out to some experts to find out. Explore their insights below.
- What distinguishes a geek from a nerd?
- What is one recent or unexpected trend in the world of geeks that you’ve observed?
- What are your best three tips for attending an event like Comic-Con?
- What can geeks expect at Comic-Con and FanCon events this year with COVID cases rising again?
- What is one way someone can embrace their geekness in their day-to-day life?
Methodology
We ranked the 200 biggest U.S. cities from geekiest to least geeky (1-200) based on their overall scores (out of 100 points), averaged across the weighted metrics listed below.
Sources: Comic-Cons.xyz, FanCons.com, Meetup, The Renlist, and Yelp
Final thoughts: Not all those who wander are lost
Everyone has a geeky side.
No wonder cities across the country have begun to embrace the nerds, offering unique travel spots for fans to geek out together.
But you don’t need a Dungeon Master to plot out your next campaign. No matter your geekdom, grab your friends (or go solo), and celebrate your geekness by checking out some more nerdy tourist destinations below.
- Chicago, Illinois: Established in 1930, Adler Planetarium was the first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. Today it hosts more than half a million visitors each year, encouraging guests of all ages and backgrounds to explore the galaxy.
- Frisco, Texas: Play your way through memory lane at the National Videogame Museum which features several interactive exhibits, including an ’80s arcade.
- Huntsville, Alabama: Have you always dreamed of being an astronaut? You’re never too old for space camp: Find out what it takes to rocket into the cosmos at the Adult Space Academy.
- Metropolis, Illinois: Visit the Man of Steel’s hometown, where you can view more than 70,000 toys, props, and collectibles at the Superman Museum. Every summer, the town hosts Superman Celebration, a weekend of super events to celebrate the iconic superhero.
- Toledo, Ohio: Life in your parents’ basement doesn’t have to be boring. Pinball and pints are on the menu at The Basement: Toledo’s Geekeasy.
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Main photo credit: iStock
