Which U.S. City Has The Most Coffee Shops Per Capita?
Coffee is America’s lifeblood. Want to wake up in the morning, power through a work shift, or an all-nighter study session? Coffee is the answer.
We were curious, what’s the city with most shops per capita in the U.S.? While this is difficult to determine without visiting every coffee shop in the U.S. (vacation idea, anyone?), we’ve checked available data and found the city with the most coffee shops per capita.
What’s the USA’s coffee consumption per capita?
Well, 66% of U.S. citizens drink coffee daily — higher consumption than water (1).
Coffee is more popular than any other beverage, including tap water, and is most popular in the Northeast, where 72% of adults have had a coffee in the past day.
There are over 73,000 coffee shops in 483 of the US’s biggest cities (2). Here are the top US cities with the most coffee shops per person and square mile.
1. San Francisco, California
San Francisco may be the 17th largest city in the U.S., but it’s first for coffee shops per capita and square mile. The city has around 40 cafes per square mile and 235 shops per 100,000 residents.
San Francisco is rated as one of the best cities to live in for coffee lovers, with an average annual spend on coffee of $1,209 (3).
2. Berkeley, California
The second city with the most coffee shops per capita is Berkeley (Californians really love coffee). This one is less of a surprise compared to SF, as Berkeley is a college town.
This is the home of Peet’s Coffee, the University of California, and plenty of caffeinated students. Berkeley has 231 coffee shops for 100,000 residents.
3. Portland, Oregon
Apart from Seattle, Portland is probably one of the first places that come to mind when someone says “coffee city.”
Portland is a leader in specialty coffee and has the most roasters per capita in the US (4).
Portland is home to Stumptown Coffee Roasters and is always on the best coffee city lists. The average annual spend on coffee in Portland is $1,118, and there are 201 coffee shops per 100,000 people.
4. Seattle, Washington
Seattle, or the birthplace of Starbucks, also tops every coffee shop list. Also called the coffee capitol, Seattle gets top grades for affordability, amount of coffee drinkers, and wifi availability in coffee shops.
This may be the 18th biggest city in the US, but it has the fourth-most coffee shops. Locals say it’s impossible to walk a block without passing at least one coffee place.
All in all, Seattle is a paradise for coffee lovers, with 200 coffee shops per 100,000 residents (only one shop below Portland).
5. Orlando, Florida
Orlando is another city where coffee isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. You probably think of Disneyworld, Mickey Mouse, or Harry Potter. But, a large number of tourists, especially parents who need fuel to keep up with their kids in amusement parks, have put Orlando high on the list of the most coffee shops per capita. Orlando has 195 shops per 100,000 residents.
Final Thoughts
Seattle and Portland are probably the first places that pop to mind when thinking of cities with the highest number of coffee shops per resident. However, California cities have them beat — San Francisco and Berkeley are the top two cities with the most coffee shops. Nevertheless, each of these cities has a rich coffee culture, so if you live in one, we’ll try not to be green with envy.
FAQ
How much coffee shops make depends on the location and coffee shop size. Most coffee shop owners make between $50,000 to $160,00 annually. The owner’s salary is higher if they take on most responsibilities, such as roasting, accounting, and brewing. Average coffee shop revenue is around 80% of sales, which is more than most other restaurant businesses.
The average capital for opening coffee shops is between $25,000 and $300,000. This is a huge range, depending on whether you want to open a coffee stand, kiosk, or coffee truck. You need to invest in a lot of equipment, such as a coffee grinder for pros, a commercial-grade espresso machine, a water filtration system, and more.
Finland drinks the most coffee per capita. This country is the largest consumer of coffee per person. An average Finn drinks four cups daily and spends 26 lbs of coffee annually. Other European countries like Norway, Iceland, Denmark, and the Netherlands follow Finland. Overall, Scandinavian countries drink the most coffee.
References
- Coffee consumption hits two-decade high. (n.d.). Www.ncausa.org. https://www.ncausa.org/Newsroom/Coffee-consumption-hits-two-decade-high-2022-NCDT
- Hochman, M. (2019, January 9). The Best Cities for Coffee Lovers. Apartment Living Tips – Apartment Tips from ApartmentGuide.com. https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/best-cities-for-coffee-lovers/
- Hunt, M. (n.d.). Best Cities For Coffee Lovers 2022. Bankrate. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/best-coffee-cities-in-america/#top-ten
- Portland Has Deeper Cups Than Any Coffee City in America. (n.d.). Willamette Week. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.wweek.com/culture/2017/11/07/portland-has-deeper-cups-than-any-coffee-city-in-america/
