Want to refresh your wardrobe with the latest trends but aren’t sure what to do with the Juicy Couture sweatsuit that’s been sitting in your closet? Reselling your clothes fattens your wallet and helps the planet.
But where can you get the most out of putting your gently used clothes back on the sales rack?
Lawn Love ranked nearly 180 of the largest U.S. cities to determine the Best Cities to Resell Clothes. We looked for cities with plenty of consignment stores, flea markets, and thrift stores. We also gauged buyer interest based on Google search trends.
Use our rankings, spotlights on thrifty cities, and practical tips to get the most out of cleaning out your closet while earning some cash.
In this article
City rankings
See how each city fared in our overall ranking below.
Results in depth
Take a Thriftcation
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, might be known as the “Venice of America,” but it’s more like Milan when it comes to fashion. Fort Lauderdale took first place both in our overall ranking and in the Access category.
As the global yachting capital with the third largest cruise port in the world, Spring Break Central is a major tourist destination among domestic and international travelers. Plus, it’s part of the Miami metro area — and only minutes away from Hollywood (No. 4 overall) — expanding the number of potential shoppers exponentially.
They’re likely to hit up every thrift and consignment store in town, but a key store for resellers to check out is OddBalls Nifty Thrift. This little gem was named the No. 5 best vintage and consignment shop in the U.S. by Yelp in 2019.
Fort Lauderdale has a high-fashion culture, with multiple fashion schools and an annual Fashion Week. The local cost of living is higher than the national average, too, so make sure to bring out your high-end threads for high-value trades.
SoCal Sellin’
The stylish residents of California cities Pasadena and Orange took silver and bronze in our ranking, with Pasadena coming in second place and Orange in third. These cities pulled ahead because of high buyer interest and easy access to resale establishments.
It’s clear Southern California residents have an eye for fashion. From casual beach style to skate culture and athleisure, SoCal has rooted itself as a place to look out for incoming trends. Fashion fads come and go, which is good for resellers looking to make some extra cash. Trendsetters are always looking for something new, even if it’s old to you.
If you’re in Pasadena, make sure to check out Walker/Viden Luxury Consignment, 2nd Street USA, and EndangeredLA. In Orange, visit McFly’s Thrift Store, Touch of Class Refinery, and Kim’s Closet.
Not Even a Clothes Call
Cities that fell to the bottom of our list share two things in common: Buyers are less interested in thrifting, and clothing-swap stores are lacking.
Anchorage, Alaska (dead last), Columbus, Georgia (No. 176), Springfield, Massachusetts (No. 175), and Toledo, Ohio (No. 174) all have populations less than 300,000, which could explain the lower demand. Springfield, Toledo, and Columbus also are not known for tourism, limiting their customer base.
San Diego (No. 173) is an outlier in our bottom five, especially considering its proximity to Pasadena and Orange. San Diego is known for its large military community — military families tend to move frequently and may be less likely to hold on to unwanted items. San Diego and Anchorage also have more consistent weather patterns, so residents may not be changing up their wardrobes seasonally like people in other cities do.
If you live in one of these cities, you might be better off selling your clothes online (read on for tips).
Methodology
We ranked 177 of the largest U.S. cities from best to worst (1-177) based on their overall scores (out of 100 points), averaged across the weighted metrics listed below.
Buyer Interest
- Google Search Interest in Relevant Keywords (e.g., “Thrift Store” and “Thrift Store Near Me”) Over the Past Year – Weight 1
Access to Resale Establishments
- Vintage and Consignment Stores per 100,000 Residents – Weight 2
- Thrift Stores per 100,000 Residents – Weight 2
- Flea Markets per 100,000 Residents – Weight 2
- Yard and Garage Sale-Friendliness – Weight 2
Sources
Google Trends, Yelp, thethriftshopper.com, myfleamarketguide.com, and LawnStarter
Final thoughts: Reduce, repurpose, or resell?
Going through the old clothes in your closet is a sorted affair — what to keep, toss, and resell can be a challenging decision to make.
If you’re not handing away your hand-me-downs, you can try to rake in some cash by selling those Juicy Couture sweats at a vintage or consignment store. Even better, a recent study found that reselling clothes is more environmentally friendly than renting and recycling.
Save money and live in style with our practical tips for selling used clothing.
Know where to sell. Popular consignment chains include Buffalo Exchange, Plato’s Closet, Clothes Mentor, and Crossroads Trading. If you’re getting rid of children’s clothes, look for a Once Upon a Child near you.
Get the most bang for your buck. While sorting through your old clothes, keep an eye out for popular brand names (and make sure to include them in the description if you’re selling online). Take clear photos from different angles, and be honest about the condition of each item.
Treat your clothes with care. Gently used items have a better chance of being accepted by consignment or vintage-clothing stores. Check out the stores beforehand to see if the clothes you want to sell fit with their typical range of styles.
Cleanliness is key. If you’re selling in person, make sure the clothes are washed and neatly folded when you bring them in. The shop buying from you will be less likely to purchase if the clothes are wrinkled and smell like they’ve been in storage for a while.
Stay trendy. Keep an eye out for trends. Look at what popular TV characters are wearing, and see if you have any matching items lingering in the back of your closet. Don’t watch much TV? Pay attention to what the influencers on your social media feed are wearing to get clued in to current and upcoming fashion trends.
Having a hard time selling your old clothes? Here are a couple of other environmentally friendly alternatives:
Set up shop online. If you can’t find any local clothing exchange stores in your area, try selling on the internet. Social media platforms have made it easier to shop used and local with Facebook Marketplace and Instagram’s new shopping tab.
You can also use online platforms, such as eBay, Depop, and Etsy to resell clothes, especially if they’re vintage or name-brand items. Poshmark, Tradesy, The RealReal, OfferUp, Mercari, thredUP, and Vinted are other popular reselling platforms.
Connect with your community. Get a group of friends together and organize a clothing-swap party. This is a more fun and environmentally friendly alternative to cleaning out your closet, and you never know — your bestie might be getting rid of that cute blue sundress you’ve always admired. If you have a lot of items you want to get rid of, get your family and friends together to throw a yard sale.
Repurpose your clothing. Sometimes the consignment store won’t accept the clothes you’re looking to sell. If you don’t want your clothes to end up in the landfill, there are still plenty of ways to reuse your clothing in purposeful ways. You can turn an old T-shirt into a produce bag, braided rug, and even cute accessories.
And while you’re reselling your old duds you may end up with a new look by buying a snappy used outfit for yourself. After all, it’s back-to-school season, and students young and old like hip and trendy. Thrift stores and consignment shops are great places for clothes encounters of the frugal kind.
Main Photo Credit: Shutterstock
