2023’s Best Cities for Book Lovers

Where in America can you find a literary adventure?

To book(mark) World Book Day on Apr. 23, Lawn Love ranked 2023’s Best Cities for Book Lovers.

We compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on five categories. We looked at access to bookstores, literary festivals, and Little Free Libraries, among 15 total metrics.

See which cities are utopias for book lovers below. To learn how we ranked the cities, see our methodology.

In this article

City rankings + infographic

See how each city fared in our ranking:

Note: For presentation purposes, not all ties may be displayed for some metrics above.

Top 5 close up

Check out the slideshow below for highlights and lowlights on each of our top five cities.

Morning light reflects across New York City’s skyline.
No. 1: New York | Overall score: 65.82

Books for Sale: 6
Book Rentals: 1
Special Access: 1
Book Swaps: 194
Community: 1

Local tips: New York is full of literary landmarks, such as the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage and infamous gathering spots like the White Horse Tavern. Explore a plethora of bookish sites with a literary walk or literary pub crawl. TV fans should check out Logos Bookstore — where “You” was filmed.

Photo credit: Roberto Vivancos | Pexels | Pexels License
A woman reads a book on a grassy hill overlooking the historic painted ladies and greater San Francisco skyline.
No. 2: San Francisco | Overall score: 44.53

Books for Sale: 1
Book Rentals: 13
Special Access: 4
Book Swaps: 104
Community: 4

Local tips: Learn about Jack Kerouac and the rest of the Beat Generation at The Beat Museum, before following in their footsteps with an afternoon at City Lights Bookstore and Vesuvio Cafe. Make plans to attend San Francisco’s annual literary festival, Litquake.

Photo credit: Juan Salamanca | Pexels | Pexels License
The Space Needle stands over the skyscrapers and landscape on an overcast day in Seattle.
No. 3: Seattle | Overall score: 36.69

Books for Sale: 2
Book Rentals: 14
Special Access: 18
Book Swaps: 113
Community: 10

Local tips: Self-described geeks can peruse the stacks at Ada’s Technical Books & Cafe, while thespians can check out a staged adaptation of their favorite book or short story at Book-It Repertory Theatre. Take in literary and architectural delights at Seattle’s award-winning Central Library.

Photo credit: Josh Fields | Pexels | Pexels License
The Washington Monument overlooks stately buildings in Washington, D.C.
No. 4: Washington | Overall score: 35.86

Books for Sale: 4
Book Rentals: 20
Special Access: 17
Book Swaps: 92
Community: 3

Local tips: The nation’s capital has abundant sites for reading enthusiasts, from the American Poetry Museum to the Folger Shakespeare Library to Frederick Douglass’ home. Celebrate your love of books at the Library of Congress National Book Festival.

Photo credit: Anna Lowe | Pexels | Pexels License
Skyscrapers stand tall in contrast against the blue sky and ocean in Miami.
No. 5: Miami | Overall score: 31.28

Books for Sale: 3
Book Rentals: 11
Special Access: 12
Book Swaps: 173
Community: 17

Local tips: Join authors for a luncheon with the Brickell Literary Society. Encounter new authors at the Miami Book Fair and poets at the O, Miami poetry festival. Pick up your next read from Books & Books or the mobile Bookleggers Library.

Photo credit: Tory Brown | Pexels | Pexels License

Key Insights

The gist

Readers rejoice in big bookish cities like New York (No. 1), San Francisco (No. 2), and Seattle (No. 3). These cities are top-shelf, with plenty of access to bookstores, libraries, and book clubs. 

Small cities and suburban areas fell to the bottom due to an overall lack of literary access. Aside from Austin (No. 22), Houston (No. 24), San Antonio (No. 27), and Dallas (No. 44), the remaining 21 Texas cities in our ranking ended in the lower half — with five cities falling to the depths of the bottom 10. 

Standout stats

  • Bookworm empire: The City That Never Sleeps must stay up all night reading. With a 21-point lead ahead of the next city, New York turns the page as this year’s Best City for Book Lovers. NYC offers the most public libraries and antique and rare bookstores, giving residents access to all kinds of reading material. The Big Apple also boasts the most book clubs, book festivals, and literary landmarks. 
  • Storied San Francisco: Home to the Beat Generation and the counterculture movement, San Francisco (No. 2) has long been a hub for intellectuals and creative types. The Golden City is full of reading nooks, with the most bookstores and independent bookstores per square mile. San Francisco also hosts the highest number of silent book clubs. 
  • Studious Seattle: As one of only two UNESCO Cities of Literature in the U.S., Seattle (No. 3) is another haven for both writers and book lovers. Voracious readers in Seattle have access to the highest number of used bookstores and the third-highest number of independent bookstores, both per square mile. The Emerald City also hosted this year’s largest national book fair and gathering for the literati and has the second-highest number of silent book clubs. 
  • Neighborhood novels: Little Free Libraries are popular in suburban areas like Rockford, Illinois (No. 75), which has the most Little Free Libraries per 100,000 residents, followed by California cities Orange (No. 41), Fullerton (No. 71), and Pomona (No. 66). The nonprofit’s headquarters is located in St. Paul, Minnesota (No. 8), which is No. 54 in Little Free Libraries per capita. 
  • Capital chapters: Major cities in the Mid-Atlantic offer plenty of options for bibliophiles. Washington (No. 4) stacks up the second-highest number of independent bookstores and third-highest total number of bookstores, both per square mile. Washington also hosts the second-highest number of literary festivals. Baltimore (No. 9), has the eighth-highest number of public libraries, while Alexandria, Virginia (No. 18), has the most books “in the wild” per 100,000 residents. 
  • Lit adventures: After New York, New Orleans (No. 26) has the second-highest number of literary landmarks, followed by Philadelphia (No. 13), Washington (No. 4), and Chicago (No. 6). New Orleans is home to historic sites like Hotel Monteleone, where famous authors like Tennessee Williams, Ernest Hemingway, and Anne Rice were known to drink, write, and slumber.

Honorable mentions

America is full of literary hotspots, large and small. Discover some other well-read cities below. 

  • McAllen, Texas (No. 166), might be lacking in bookstores and public libraries, but the city is home to the nation’s largest single-story library. What was once a Walmart is now the McAllen Public Library
  • With eight independent bookstores serving a town with a population of fewer than 500, Hobart, New York, is hailed as a book village.
  • Monroeville is known as the Literary Capital of Alabama. The city hosts an annual literary festival and has a sculpture trail honoring 10 writers with connections to the city, including Harper Lee and Truman Capote. 

Expert take

We turned to a panel of bibliophiles for insight into the best ways to fall in love with reading. See what they had to say below. 

  1. What are the three biggest benefits of reading books?
  1. What are the best strategies for parents to get children into reading?
  1. How have new ways of reading, such as using e-readers or listening to an audiobook on the way to work, changed readership rates?
  1. Do you have three or four tips for people who want to get back into reading regularly?
  1. Some people struggle to read books because they don’t know what genres they enjoy or what genres are available. What’s the best way to discover one’s favorite genre(s)?
  1. How can avid readers keep up with the constant influx of new books to read?

Ask The Experts

Hilary Seitz, PhD
Professor of Early Childhood Education, School of Education
Dr. Pedro Ponce
Professor, English Department
Michelle Chihara
Associate Director, Whittier Scholars Program, Associate Professor of English
Hilary Seitz, PhD
Professor of Early Childhood Education, School of Education
University of Alaska Anchorage

What are the three biggest benefits of reading books?

There are many benefits to reading books!

  1. Reading books offers opportunities to learn about other places, perspectives, and information so we can expand our own thinking knowledge. So, it is a way to learn content.
  2. Reading books also offers an emotional and creative outlet to think about things in a new way. We can develop empathy, ideas, and creative solutions when we are transported into a story.
  3. Together, they nurture the growth and development of a child.

What are the best strategies for parents to get children into reading?

Here are my top strategies to help children have a passion for reading.

  1. Model reading practices – reading books, magazines, directions or recipes, online content too is important. Parents need to share multiple reading practices with their children.
  2. Have many opportunities to read in the home, car, and other places you go. Having access to books and other print materials in normal experiences/places tells children that reading is important and a way to learn about the world in a positive way.
  3. Families can engage in children’s school experiences (volunteer at school, support homework, and make reading activities enjoyable).

What are your three best tips for people who want to get back into reading regularly?

The best way to get back into the habit of reading is to build reading into your routine. Perhaps, it is to read before bed each night for 20 minutes. I like to read or listen to my eReader when I exercise on the treadmill.

Finding something you enjoy reading is also important. It is easier to create a new habit if it is part of the routine and something that you enjoy. Trying a variety of genres of books, magazines, or blogs sometimes takes time. Once you find your interest, it is easier.

Some people struggle to read books because they don’t know what genres they enjoy. What’s the best way to discover one’s favorite genre(s)?

It can be challenging to find books you enjoy as there are many different genres available. If you haven’t read a book in a while, but you want to start reading again, think about the last book you enjoyed reading and ask yourself the following questions.

  • Why did you like the book?
  • Was it a novel or a biography or something that was self-help?
  • Was it long or short?
  • Was it informational?
  • What did it make you think about when you read it?

These questions will help you think about the type of book you enjoy.

If it has been a while since you last read a book and don’t remember one you enjoyed, try asking a friend for a suggestion, do a google search for suggestions, or join a Facebook group for reading. In some ways there are too many ways and too many genres which can make the task very overwhelming.

One last way might be to think about other entertainment such as shows or movies you enjoy. Are they comedies, documentaries, or long sagas that took place a long time ago? Book genres are similar. In some cases, the show or movie may have been based on a story/book. You might try to read the corresponding books, such as Harry Potter.

How can avid readers keep up with the constant influx of new books to read?

There are many new book choices that pop up every day. For avid readers, I recommend joining a social media group such as Good reads or a Facebook book club.

These sites offer all types of information and other readers are always willing to give a review or a suggestion of a good book they just read. I enjoy discussing books with other people so having a book group or club can help make this an enjoyable extension.

Dr. Pedro Ponce
Professor, English Department
St. Lawrence University

What are the three biggest benefits of reading books?

  1. One of the biggest benefits is learning something new. Reading provokes and also satisfies our curiosity about topics we’re interested in—and topics we would never think about in our everyday lives.
  2. Another is connecting with perspectives and lives different from our own—across national borders and even historical periods. What is it like to live in another country, or another century? The differences are interesting, but the commonalities are even more compelling.
  3. Finally, I don’t think escapism is a bad thing. Sometimes, we need a break from reality, and reading offers this in a variety of ways. Sometimes, that temporary escape is just what we need to see reality more clearly.

What are the best strategies for parents to get children into reading?

Get children excited about language—engage them with language in its various forms: reading text to them of course, but don’t forget spoken language in music and conversation, or even the sculpted language on wooden blocks.

Anything that gives language life and texture inspires interest in reading. I say this from my own experience rather than empirical data. I grew up in a bilingual household, and experiencing how different languages reflect the world gave language itself this three-dimensional quality that stayed with me well into adulthood.

How have new ways of reading, such as using e-readers or listening to an audiobook on the way to work, changed readership rates?

I’m a child of print books, but I also think that e-books and audiobooks have generated greater interest in reading. There are so many more ways for someone to get immersed in a book—text surrounds us whether in our cars or on our phones.

I myself need a printed page to feel immersed, or at least a screen bigger than my phone. But what works for me won’t work for every reader. I think the greater variety of reading experiences will work to create more interest in reading generally.

What are your three best tips for people who want to get back into reading regularly?

  1. Make reading a habit—something you do every day. And your reading time doesn’t have to be long—it can be something you listen to on the way to work, or something you read before going to bed.
  2. The key I think is consistency rather than a certain number of pages or chapters per day. Make a routine that works for you and stick to it.
  3. And read what you want—histories, thrillers, comic books. The pleasure of reading can take many forms. “Real” reading doesn’t just mean Moby-Dick or Heart of Darkness. We need to treat reading like listening to music. We expect people to have differing tastes in music; we should be just as eclectic with our reading habits.

Some people struggle to read books because they don’t know what genres they enjoy. What’s the best way to discover one’s favorite genre(s)?

Here is my plug for brick-and-mortar bookstores! Find one and ask the staff for their recommendations. I’m not anti-technology (see above), but an algorithm is no substitute, I think, for the personal expertise of bookstore staff.

How can avid readers keep up with the constant influx of new books to read?

There are some great websites that inform readers of what’s coming out—not just from major publishers, but from interesting smaller presses that deserve more attention:

Michelle Chihara
Associate Director, Whittier Scholars Program, Associate Professor of English
Whittier College

What are the three biggest benefits of reading books?

Reading has structured almost every aspect of my life, so it’s hard to choose three, but 1) when I was young, reading was my escape and my imaginative path to a wider world and2) as I got older, books were my connection to experts and histories that became my teachers and 3) now as an adult and a teacher myself, books allow me to pause.

They give me moments of sustained contemplative attention that’s increasingly hard to get in this technology-dominated world.

What are the best strategies for parents to get children into reading?

Let them choose the books they want to read! Give them true agency, and don’t say no to a book unless it’s absolutely necessary. If you’re concerned about a book, offer to let them read it if they promise to talk to you about it afterwards, and read it alongside them.

How have new ways of reading, such as using e-readers or listening to an audiobook on the way to work, changed readership rates?

There’s ample evidence that print readership is down. Audiobooks offer new kinds of experiences (see Sheri-Marie Harrison’s ode to them on Post45!).

I’m also about to publish an article (in Bloomsbury’s forthcoming New Directions in Print Culture Studies) in which I look at evidence that people are changing their relationship to print culture in the way that they now make books. People are taking up print pursuits like journaling and making art-books.

Both reading print books and interacting with paper can deliver aesthetic rewards that screens can’t provide—it can help with “digital detox.” All of this makes the future of reading hard to predict, but I’m hopeful.

What are your three best tips for people who want to get back into reading regularly?

  1. Give yourself permission to read for pleasure
  2. Choose a time of day to read for pleasure, and then
  3. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss it for a while.

Some people struggle to read books because they don’t know what genres they enjoy. What’s the best way to discover one’s favorite genre(s)?

Discovery is linked to curiosity. After you have given yourself permission to read for pleasure, give yourself permission to wander and browse in the library or independent bookshop with curiosity! And remember that you can put any book down. Accepting mismatches is part of finding new good fits.

Once you’ve committed, I recommend trying to give any book a real chance—some books teach you how to read them a paragraph at a time. But at the same time, you need to preserve your own (adult) sense of agency.

Once trying new things has led you to learn something—once you have truly tasted that feeling of personal discovery—you’ll have confidence in your own bookish wanderings.

How can avid readers keep up with the constant influx of new books to read?

Instead of trying to “keep up,” try to stay curious and engaged! If you have something to say to other readers about what you’re reading, then you can participate in a dynamic conversation. It doesn’t matter when the book was published!

Behind the ranking

First, we determined the factors (metrics) that are most relevant to the Best Cities for Book Lovers. We then assigned a weight to each factor based on its importance and grouped those factors into five categories: Books for Sale, Book Rentals, Special Access, Book Swaps, and Community. The categories, factors, and their weights are listed in the table below.

For each of the 200 biggest U.S. cities, we then gathered data on each factor from the sources listed below the table.

Finally, we calculated scores (out of 100 points) for each city to determine its rank in each factor, each category, and overall. A city’s Overall Score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Best” (No. 1) and the lowest “Worst” (No. 200). Note: The “Worst” among individual factors may not be No. 200 due to ties.

Sources

Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America, BookCrossing, BookReporter, Book Riot, CareerOneStop, End Library Fines, IndieBound, Little Free Library, Meetup, National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Publishers Archive, Silent Book Club, ThriftStoreListings.com, United for Libraries, Urban Libraries Council, Writer’s Digest, Yelp

Share your love of reading with your community by setting up a Little Free Library in your front yard. Hire a local Lawn Love pro to improve your yard’s curb appeal and attract more bibliophiles.

Media resources

Main photo credit: iStock

Sav Maive

Sav Maive is a writer and director based in San Antonio. Sav is a graduate from the University of Virginia and is a loving cat and plant mom.