Long Beach Ranks Fourth in National Coffee City Study, Surpassing Seattle and San Francisco

Long Beach has emerged as a top contender in the national coffee scene, securing the fourth spot on WalletHub's latest ranking of the best U.S. cities for coffee lovers. The study, which evaluated cities based on 12 key indicators, saw Long Beach outperform major coffee hubs like Seattle and San Francisco, as well as its larger neighbor, Los Angeles.

The WalletHub analysis considered factors such as coffee shops per capita, the average cost of coffee, the prevalence of home coffee-making equipment, and even the number of donut shops per capita, a metric noted as particularly relevant to Southern California.

Recent years have witnessed a significant growth in Long Beach's cafe culture, with establishments like Common Room Roasters, Rose Park Roasters, and Recreational Coffee becoming popular destinations for residents and visitors alike.

Beyond Long Beach's high placement, California cities also dominated other aspects of the study. Fremont, San Francisco, and San Jose led the list for the average amount of money spent on coffee per household, with Seattle and Irvine following closely.

WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo noted that coffee consumption is a growing part of American culture, but the associated costs are also increasing. "In the cities that are craziest about coffee, the average household may spend as much as $327 per year on the beverage," Lupo stated. For many in Southern California, this figure may represent a fraction of their actual annual coffee expenditure, especially given the higher cost of living in the region.

In the overall city rankings, Seattle placed fifth, while San Francisco was seventh. Los Angeles landed at fourteenth, behind cities such as Atlanta and Tampa. Florida cities also performed well, with Orlando ranking first and Miami taking third place.