2023’s Best Cities For Movie Lovers
We all know how great fresh, buttery popcorn can taste as the opening credits begin to roll.
Where in the U.S. can you have a memorable cinematic experience? Lawn Love ranked 2023’s Best Cities for Movie Lovers.
200 biggest U.S. cities were compared based on movie theater access and ratings, as well as streaming quality for those who prefer to watch at home. The study also considered the affordability of movie tickets, film groups, and festivals, among 13 total metrics.
Check out the 10 best (and 10 worst) cities for movie lovers below, followed by key insights from the report. See where your city ranks.
Best Cities for Movie Lovers
| Rank | City |
| 1 | New York, NY |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA |
| 4 | Chicago, IL |
| 5 | Atlanta, GA |
| 6 | Austin, TX |
| 7 | Portland, OR |
| 8 | San Diego, CA |
| 9 | Seattle, WA |
| 10 | Washington, DC |
Worst Cities for Movie Lovers
| Rank | City |
| 1 | Pomona, CA |
| 2 | Toledo, OH |
| 3 | Killeen, TX |
| 4 | Hialeah, FL |
| 5 | Worcester, MA |
| 6 | Bridgeport, CT |
| 7 | Miramar, FL |
| 8 | Thornton, CO |
| 9 | Palmdale, CA |
| 10 | Dayton, OH |
Key insights:
And the Oscar goes to … New York (No. 1) remains the best option for “Moonstruck” movie lovers for the second year in a row.
NYC has the most movie theaters and the second-highest number of independent theaters, giving you plenty of options when you need a cinematic escape. However, cinemas might feel crowded in this city — NYC has a limited number of movie screens to accommodate its large population.
‘La La Land’ of indie theaters: Home to Hollywood, it’s no surprise that Los Angeles lands at No. 2 in our ranking. The City of Angels has the second-most movie theaters but beats out NYC with the highest number of independent theaters.
Sunny LA also has the most outdoor movie theaters. While screens in LA might be more crowded, its suburb Orange (No. 17) has the most movie screens per 100,000 residents.
Rising stars: You shouldn’t be dazed or confused by Texas’ top-ranking city, Austin (No. 6). ‘Bat City’ has caught the attention of many independent filmmakers, as well as big companies like Netflix and HBO.
The four biggest Texas cities placed in the top 20, thanks to particularly high scores in Access and Community. Austin has the sixth-highest number of movie theaters, while San Antonio (No. 12) offers a lot of opportunities for outdoor movie nights. Houston (No. 11) loves its independent theaters, and Dallas (No. 19) has top broadband coverage.
