Persistent shoppers have discovered amazing hidden gems in thrift stores. Some of the best finds include an 1823 edition of the Declaration of Independence and original photos by famous mid-century photographers. Thrift stores are everywhere, but the cost and quality of their inventories vary. With this in mind, the discount website CouponFollow determined which U.S. cities are ideal for shopping secondhand.
The savings platform created the list below by analyzing Yelp data for thrift stores, vintage stores, consignment stores, and flea markets in major cities nationwide. Several variables—such as the number of highly rated and affordable secondhand stores—were considered for this report. CouponFollow also surveyed 1000 participants on their thoughts about thrifting, with 72 percent participating in the activity a few times a year and 28 percent once a year or less.
According to the study, California is the best state for thrifting, as cities there claim half the spots in the top 10. New Jersey is the second-best state, with two entries on the list. New York City ranks No.1 overall. It boasts one of the biggest selections of affordable secondhand shops, with 178 thrift stores total. Newark, New Jersey, comes in as a close second, with 137 thrift stores, 240 vintage shops, and 82 flea markets. Completing the top three is Los Angeles, which has the most popular thrift stores based on number of Yelp reviews.
You can find the rest of the top 10 cities for thrifting below:
- New York City
- Newark, NJ
- Los Angeles
- Long Beach, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Arlington, TX
- Irvine, CA
- Jersey City, NJ
- Chicago
- San Bernardino, CA
To view the full chart of the top 100 thriftiest cities in America, click here.
No matter where you live, there are shopping strategies you can use to take your thrifting game to the next level. Goodwill advises buyers to visit early on Mondays and Tuesdays, as many stores restock racks after the weekend. Items that didn’t sell in yard sales over the weekend also may be donated early in the week. And by shopping during the early weekdays, you won’t have as much competition because people are generally busy with work or school at these times. The best time of year for thrift shopping is after a three-day holiday: This is because many people take the opportunity to clear out clutter.
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