These nostalgic American and Canadian cities cannot get enough of the retro lifestyle.
New research from our online casino team shows the North American cities most gripped by nostalgia right now, ranking the biggest metros on everything from record store counts to searches for vintage clothing.
From the resurgence of vinyl to a renewed appetite for retro arcades and thrifted fashion, nostalgia has become big business across the US and Canada – and the data suggests some cities are leaning into the trend far more than others.
The study weighted record store and arcade counts, retro diner ratings, and vintage clothing search volume (per capita) to produce a final nostalgia score out of 100.
U.S. Key Findings:
● Los Angeles is crowned America’s most nostalgic city, topping the table with the 240 vinyl record sellers and the highest overall weighted score.
● New York City takes second place, generating more vintage clothing searches than anywhere else in the country (48,350) but a lower per-capita rate keeps it just behind LA.
● The Windy City rounds out the podium in third, helped by the 4.6-rated ‘The Chicago Diner’ and the second-highest vintage clothing search volume in the study.
● Minneapolis ranks 12th overall but posts the highest vintage clothing searches per capita (19,300) of any city on the list – a sign nostalgia runs deeper there than the headline ranking suggests.
U.S. Full Table:
Rank | City | Record Stores | Arcades | Top Retro Diner Rating | Vintage Clothes Searches Per Capita | Nostalgia Score |
1 | Los Angeles | 240 | 76 | 4.7 | 5,737 | 100 |
2 | New York City | 240 | 108 | 4.1 | 5,688 | 91.88 |
3 | Chicago | 171 | 66 | 4.6 | 6,278 | 72.57 |
4 | Portland | 110 | 30 | 4.5 | 16,767 | 64.86 |
5 | Orlando | 62 | 88 | 4.0 | 16,200 | 64.21 |
6 | Nashville | 56 | 30 | 4.8 | 13,414 | 53.55 |
7 | Las Vegas | 41 | 63 | 4.6 | 9,057 | 46.42 |
8 | Seattle | 93 | 33 | 4.4 | 13,463 | 46.09 |
9 | Austin | 57 | 64 | 4.4 | 9,790 | 44.17 |
10 | Miami | 37 | 52 | 4.5 | 11,260 | 41.05 |
11 | San Francisco | 110 | 48 | 4.1 | 12,000 | 40.80 |
12 | Minneapolis | 75 | 27 | 4.0 | 19,300 | 38.56 |
13 | Houston | 96 | 98 | 3.9 | 4,100 | 32.69 |
14 | Dallas | 87 | 42 | 4.5 | 5,231 | 26.57 |
15 | Detroit | 66 | 37 | 4.5 | 7,200 | 24.68 |
Los Angeles Crowned As America’s Most Nostalgic City.
Los Angeles secured top spot with a maximum weighted score of 100, boosted by its 240 record stores – a joint-high alongside New York City – and 76 arcades. Vintage clothing searches in the city topped 21,800, reflecting a fashion scene that continues to look backwards for inspiration.
New York City finished a close second, with the highest volume of vintage clothing searches nationwide at 48,350 – more than double any other city in the study. Chicago claimed third, driven by the best-reviewed retro diner of the top three – ’The Chicago Diner’ – at 4.6 stars.
While Minneapolis finished 12th overall, the city recorded the highest rate of vintage clothing searches per capita anywhere in the country at 19,300 – suggesting nostalgia culture runs deeper there than its headline ranking lets on. Nashville‘s retro diner quality rated highest of any city in the study at 4.8 stars, helping it to sixth overall, while Las Vegas rounded out the top seven on the back of 63 arcades and strong vintage clothing search volume.
Commenting on these findings, our lifestyle spokesperson said: “These findings show an interesting trend in how Americans are embracing the past, from vinyl records to retro arcades and vintage fashion.”
“Los Angeles and New York City lead the way, but it’s cities like Minneapolis that show nostalgia is a genuine cultural movement in smaller markets too.”
Canada’s Most Nostalgic Cities Revealed – Victoria Takes Top Spot
City | Record Stores | Arcades | Top Rated Retro Diner | Vintage Clothes Searches per capita | Nostalgia Score |
Victoria | 173 | 14 | 4.30 | 9,375.00 | 99.00 |
Toronto | 70 | 103 | 4.10 | 2829.69 | 55.21 |
Barrie | 47 | 14 | 4.20 | 9,400.00 | 52.84 |
Calgary | 25 | 57 | 4.30 | 3,835.29 | 39.58 |
Ottawa | 12 | 118 | 3.70 | 3,920.00 | 22.45 |
Hamilton | 122 | 32 | 3.70 | 4,925.00 | 21.23 |
Montreal | 36 | 64 | 4.10 | 2,033.33 | 20.86 |
Quebec City | 11 | 26 | 3.60 | 10,166.67 | 9.09 |
Vancouver | 29 | 23 | 4.00 | 3,380.65 | 0.00 |
The study also found that Victoria is Canada’s most nostalgic city, earning an overall score of 99.00 and finishing comfortably ahead of every other destination analysed.
Victoria’s victory was built on a remarkably balanced performance across the study’s key metrics. The city boasts a strong collection of vintage stores and record shops, while its highest-rated diner, Frankie’s Modern Diner, helped strengthen the city’s nostalgic credentials.
Despite finishing well behind Victoria overall, Toronto ranks second thanks to the sheer scale of its nostalgic offering. The city recorded more arcades and record stores than any other location in the study. Visitors can choose from a huge range of retro entertainment venues, vinyl retailers and classic diners, including Golden Diner, making it one of Canada’s strongest destinations for those seeking a trip down memory lane.
The biggest surprise in the rankings, meanwhile, comes from Barrie, which places third overall. While considerably smaller than cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, Barrie performs exceptionally well across several nostalgia indicators. Its strong showing demonstrates that a memorable retro experience is not limited to Canada’s largest urban centres.
Commenting on the Canadian findings, our lifestyle spokesperson said:
“These findings show that nostalgia tourism is thriving across Canada, but some cities have embraced retro culture far more than others.”
“Victoria’s combination of vintage shopping, classic dining experiences and retro entertainment helped it stand out as the clear winner.”
“What’s particularly interesting is seeing smaller cities such as Barrie outperform some of Canada’s biggest destinations. It shows that creating a nostalgic experience is about quality and concentration rather than population size alone.”
Methodology
Record store, arcade, and retro diner data (including ratings) was sourced from Tripadvisor and Yelp. Vintage clothing search volumes were pulled from search engine data and adjusted to per-capita figures using the latest population estimates for each city. These metrics were then weighted and combined to calculate a final nostalgia score out of 100.
