The World's Most Hipster Cities Have Just Been Revealed

Is this the hipster capital of the world?
Is this the hipster capital of the world? | © joao paulo / Flickr
Jessica Jones

If you are eager to find the where in the world to go for the best vegan restaurants, the coolest vintage and vinyl shops and perhaps even a new tattoo, read on to discover the world’s most hipster cities.

A new study by relocation website MoveHub has asked the question that’s been keeping us all up at night: just where is the most hipster city on earth?
The so-called Hipster Index looked at five key signs of hipsterdom (or in other words, independent businesses that add a bit of personality to a city): the number of vegan food joints, coffee shops, tattoo studios, vintage boutiques and record stores per 100,000 city residents. (Cities with under 150,000 residents were excluded from the study). The survey looked at 446 cities in 20 countries – that’s 93,203 coffee shops and 14,588 tattoo studios! Combined and weighted, they then created a Hipster Index score out of ten for each city.

The top spot

The difference between the first and second place cities was just a thousandth of a point, but Brighton and Hove in the UK just pipped Portland, USA, to the top spot.
With its winding alleys full of vintage stores, Brighton is the top spot globally for vinyl-hunters, with nine record shops per 100,000 people. The environmentally conscious people of Brighton also have 37 vegan cafés and restaurants and the only Green Party MP in the UK.

The most hipster city in the world

In third place is Salt Lake City, followed by the notoriously hipster Seattle, Lisbon and, perhaps surprisingly, Fort Lauderdale in Florida.
The top 10 is rounded off by Miami, Orlando, Helsinki and Spokane.

Who knew that Portugal was the world capital of vintage shopping? The country is the best place to have a good old root through some secondhand stores: Lisbon has 78 vintage shops per 100,000 people, and Porto has 68.

Lisbon

Vegan

The USA really came into its own in this category, with Portland taking the crown for the most vegan restaurants per 100,000 people, and Seattle coming in fourth.

Vinyl

Bordeaux might be known for its wines, but it should also be known for its record stores. It came in second after Brighton, with five record stores per 100,000 people.

Vinyl

Coffee shops

If coffee is your drug, Australia should be your destination of choice. Gold Coast, Geelong and Melbourne came first, second and fourth on the list.

Tattoo parlours

The USA completely dominates when it comes to tattoos, with the top 22 cities for the number of tattoo studios per 100,000 people all located in the States. Las Vegas takes the top spot, with 29 tattoo parlours per 100,000 people.

Butterfly tattoos
landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Winter Sale Offers on Our Trips

Incredible Savings

X
Edit article