When you think of the country’s best cities for nightlife, chances are your mind goes straight to Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles and the like. Perhaps it’s time to reframe your thinking – you may be surprised by some of the spots to crack our top 10.
Top 10 cities based on nightclub businesses per resident
So, what makes these cities the best for nightlife? From pubs to clubs, these hopping locales have the most nightlife options per resident night owl. Raise a glass to our list of the 10 best cities in the country for nightlife – based on the ratio of bars, clubs and nightclubs, breweries and live entertainment businesses to the population.
10. Orlando, FL
While Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld may draw an endless influx of tourists to Orlando, you’ll find ample nightlife for locals and visitors alike. From live music at Downtown Disney’s House of Blues to the festive block party vibe at Wall Street Plaza, there are plenty of fun places to hang until 2 a.m.
When you’re all partied out, you can hang your hat at many of the apartment complexes around the city. One-bedroom rent in Orlando averages $1,323.
9. Fort Lauderdale, FL
Just north of Miami, Fort Lauderdale is known as much for its beaches as it is for Las Olas Boulevard, a bustling strip of bars, cafes and boutiques. And when none of your crew wants to be the designated driver, you can always opt for a different kind of pub crawl aboard a group bike.
Just don’t spend too much of your hard-earned money on drinks. Rent here for a one-bedroom place will cost you north of $2,000.
8. Portland, OR
Craving craft beer? You can’t do much better than Portland, home of no fewer than 85 breweries. And if you get hungry between IPAs, you’re in luck. By law, all Oregon watering holes that serve booze must also offer a selection of food.
Be ready to spend a little more to live here than most of the cities in our top 10 – the average one-bedroom rent in Portland is $1,570.
7. New Orleans, LA
OK, so no huge surprise here. The Big Easy has been synonymous with booze since roughly the Louisiana Purchase. Of course, there’s plenty of nightlife beyond Bourbon Street, from Pimm’s Cups at Uptown’s Columns Hotel to beers and live brass bands at the beloved Maple Leaf.
And if your krewe needs a place to crash, they can always stay at your place. Rent for one-bedroom apartments in New Orleans averages $1,425 a month.
6. Pittsburgh, PA
From the always-buzzing South Side to Steelers games and concerts on the North Side, the ‘Burgh boasts several neighborhoods with walkable nightlife. Did we mention the casinos? Whether you want to belly up or double down, you’ve got lots of options in our number six city.
You may hit the jackpot on rental prices here too. One-bedroom units in Pittsburgh average about $1,200 a month.
5. Cleveland, OH
Expect plenty of live music in the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, plus breweries and legendary late-night bites like pierogies and Polish Boys. Cleveland is also home to Brewnuts, where the donuts are made with craft beer. Enough said.
Rent in Cleveland averages $1,319 a month for a one-bedroom apartment.
4. Green Bay, WI
Perhaps most famous for football, Green Bay is also home to family-owned wineries, a growing number of breweries and an impressive array of watering holes. Insider tip – You know what goes well with cold beer? Fried cheese curds.
One-bedroom apartments in Green Bay average around $775 a month, so you’ll have plenty left over for late-night revelry – especially after Packers games.
3. Dayton, OH
Whether you have a hankering for happy hour, dancing, karaoke or a dive, you’ll find it in Dayton. The city may be on the small side, but the ratio of nightlife options per resident ensures that you’ll never run out of fun things to do after the sun goes down.
Dayton is the most affordable city in our top 10 list. Rent here is only $731 for an average one-bedroom apartment.
2. Cincinnati, OH
More than double the size of its sister city in the number three spot, Cincinnati is no newbie to the craft beer craze sweeping the nation. Breweries have been a mainstay here since the mid-1800s, so you can imagine Cincy knows a little something about nightlife.
One-bedroom apartments in Cincinnati go for about $1,000 a month.
1. St. Louis, MO
Perhaps you’ve heard of Anheuser-Busch or Schlafly? St. Louis has a long history of suds, speakeasies and bootleggers. Today, you can grab a pint in Ball Park Village, catch a blues show in historic Soulard or simply raise a glass to America’s best city for nightlife in any one of The Lou’s beloved watering holes.
In addition to being the top spot for nightlife, St. Louis is also one of the most affordable in our top 10. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment averages about $1,000 each month.
Beyond the top 10
Still searching for a city that suits your nightlife needs? You’re bound to spot a place that sparks your interest on our list of the 50 best cities for nightlife.
[ag-table]
Rank|City, State|Nightlife Businesses per Resident
1|St. Louis, MO|1 per 1,143
2|Cincinnati, OH|1 per 1,192
3|Dayton, OH|1 per 1,200
4|Green Bay, WI|1 per 1,237
5|Cleveland, OH|1 per 1,281
6|Pittsburgh, PA|1 per 1,387
7|New Orleans, LA|1 per 1,420
8|Portland, OR|1 per 1,452
9|Fort Lauderdale, FL|1 per 1,637
10|Orlando, FL|1 per 1,649
11|Las Vegas, NV|1 per 1,739
12|West Palm Beach, FL|1 per 1,778
13|Rochester, NY|1 per 1,825
14|Davenport, IA|1 per 1,860
15|Wilmington, NC|1 per 1,890
16|Buffalo, NY|1 per 1,916
17|Springfield, IL|1 per 1,947
18|Pompano Beach, FL|1 per 2,046
19|Atlanta, GA|1 per 2,078
20|Seattle, WA|1 per 2,119
21|Madison, WI|1 per 2,145
22|Columbia, SC|1 per 2,147
23|San Francisco, CA|1 per 2,200
24|Savannah, GA|1 per 2,288
25|Miami, FL|1 per 2,328
26|Grand Rapids, MI|1 per 2,339
27|Denver, CO|1 per 2,372
28|Charleston, SC|1 per 2,408
29|Evansville, IN|1 per 2,427
30|Boulder, CO|1 per 2,435
31|Peoria, IL|1 per 2,454
32|Syracuse, NY|1 per 2,472
33|Springfield, MO|1 per 2,498
34|Minneapolis, MN|1 per 2,514
35|Salt Lake City, UT|1 per 2,539
36|Tampa, FL|1 per 2,553
37|Milwaukee, WI|1 per 2,566
38|South Bend, IN|1 per 2,622
39|Chattanooga, TN|1 per 2,634
40|Billings, MT|1 per 2,674
41|Baton Rouge, LA|1 per 2,683
42|Toledo, OH|1 per 2,684
43|Salem, OR|1 per 2,695
44|Lafayette, LA|1 per 2,699
45|Tacoma, WA|1 per 2,701
46|Cambridge, MA|1 per 2,705
47|Des Moines, IA|1 per 2,719
48|Cedar Rapids, IA|1 per 2,813
49|Omaha, NE|1 per 2,830
50|Knoxville, TN|1 per 2,839
[/ag-table]
Methodology
We took cities with populations more than 100,000 according to the U.S. Census Bureau and added up the nightlife-related businesses and attractions in each city in the following categories – bars, clubs and nightclubs, breweries and music and entertainment businesses. We then divided each city’s population by this total to determine a ratio of the number of businesses and attractions for each resident.
