15 Best Beer Cities in America, According to New Survey

Much like wine enthusiasts who visit desirable destinations in search of top-notch vino, beer drinkers are on the hunt for the new best craft beer and plan trips around buzzed about breweries and bars. Beer tourism is a thing, and with beer projected to become a trillion- dollar industry by 2030, it's no wonder why beercations have become so prevalent. The United States has been tapped into the scene for decades, and is home to some of the best breweries in the world. Real Estate Witch did a recent survey on the best beer cities in the U.S. based on a number of factors including breweries per capita, average price of beer, Bars per capita, average Yelp rating of breweries and more. Read on to learn the top 15 beer cities in the U.S. Did your favorite city make the cut?

Buffalo has always had a rich history with the beer industry that stems back before Prohibition. In 1919, the city had twenty-nine breweries and featured more than 8,000 drinking establishments. Brewing returned at the end of the 20th century and today has more than "28 bars per 100,000 people — 47% more than the average city on our list (19 per 100,000)," according to the survey. "In addition to a large number of bars, Buffalo ranks seventh in breweries per capita. The city has 2.3 breweries per 100,000 residents — 77% more than the average city (1.3 per 100,000)."

Seattle is a beer-lover's dream with 177 breweries and counting. For residents, breweries are gathering spots, community hubs and of course a place to grab a beer after work. There's certainly no shortage of choices and the survey reveals Seattleites love pale ale according to their Google searches. "Pale ale may be the star of the show, but Seattle residents regularly search the internet for a variety of beer-related terms, earning the city a passion score of 73 out of 100 in our Google Trends metric. That's 14% better than the average city's score of 64."

While the city might be known as the home to the headquarters of more than 100 insurance companies, it's aso where you can get a cheap beer. "It's not hard to find a good deal in Hartford," the survey states. "Buying one domestic beer each day for a year would cost the average resident 2.4% of their salary — compared to an average of 3.4% across all cities. The same goes for imported beer. Ordering one a day would cost 3.3% of the average annual income — compared to 4.2% in other cities."

To cool off from Jacksonville's steamy summers, people hit the water and a brewery, "which average 4.42 stars on Yelp — the fifth-best average out of the 50 cities we reviewed," the survey states. You can also find a great deal on beer. "Jacksonville's beer prices are better than most, with the average beer costing $4.42 — 8% cheaper than the national average of $4.78."

Oklahoma is another city to enjoy cheap good beer. "With some of the best beer prices in the country, beer lovers in Oklahoma City have no need to worry," the survey said. "A beer in OKC costs an average of just $3.68 — more than a dollar cheaper than the national average ($4.78). That's the second-cheapest price of any city, behind Detroit." In addition, the city's breweries have great ratings. " Breweries in the city have an average Yelp rating of 4.31 stars out of 5, and bars have an average of 4.18 stars. Both marks rank in the top 15 in their respective categories."

Famous for its art scene and beautiful lakes, there's another thing you can add to the list that Minneapolis is known for–low-cost beer. "Minneapolis is one of the best cities for affordable imported beer," the survey reports. "Ordering one imported beer at a restaurant each day for a year would cost the average resident 3.3% of their annual income. That's 27% cheaper than it is in the other cities on our list, where the average is 4.2%."

Charlotte has been rising in popularity not only as a place to visit, but live due to it's lower-than-average cost of living, strong financial industry, good weather and up-and-coming food scene. It's also got great breweries. "Along with beating its in-state competition, Charlotte tops most cities when it comes to highly regarded breweries," the survey said. "The average Charlotte brewery has 4.34 stars on Yelp — the ninth-highest average in the country. Overall, Charlotte has 1.9 breweries per 100,000 residents — 46% more than the average city in our ranking (1.3 per 100,000)."

Nashville loves country music and good beer. Music City has plenty of options to choose from when it comes to breweries, which has 1.5 per 100,000 residents, an edge over the average city in our study, which has 1.3 per 100,000. But don't forget about the bar scene, which is just as good. There's "25 bars per 100,000 residents — 31% more than the average city on our list (19 per 100,000)," the survey finds. 

Indianapolis not only has a prominent bar scene, but it's hard to beat the prices. "Bars in Indianapolis are some of the best in the country, averaging 4.23 stars on Yelp," according to the survey. " Only six of the 50 cities we reviewed can top that rating.  Along with great bars, Indianapolis beats most cities when it comes to affordable beer. Buying one beer in Indianapolis costs about $4.58, cheaper than the average of $4.78 in other cities."

Home of the Kentucky Derby is racing up the rankings for best beer cities in America and has improved its standing partly because of its bars. "Louisville has a rate of 24 bars per 100,000 residents — 26% more than the average city in our study (19 per 100,000)," the survey said. "Plus, Louisville bars average 4.27 stars on Yelp, the third-highest score out of all 50 cities we ranked."

Denver has always had strong beer ties with Coors and Blue Moon local makers, but the city has a lot of other breweries to explore with" 3.7 per 100,000 residents — second-most in the U.S. behind only Portland, Oregon," the survey states. "Apart from a staggering number of breweries, Denver also has a mile-high concentration of bars per capita. The city has 29 bars per 100,000 residents — 53% more than the average city we reviewed (19 per 100,000)."

New Orleans is a city that likes to celebrate and indulge, so it's no surprise that the Big Easy has the most bars in the U.S. with 60 per 100,000 residents. But just because the city has plenty of bars to choose from, doesn't mean they prefer quality or quality.  "The average New Orleans bar has 4.21 stars on Yelp — the 10th-best average out of all 50 cities," the survey finds. "Beer is also incredibly affordable in New Orleans. Buying one domestic beer each night for a year would cost just 2.5% of the typical resident's annual income — 36% less than it would cost in the average city (3.4%)."

Milwaukee has a deep history with beer going back to 1855, which is when the Miller Brewing Company began operating in the city. Of course the industry giant has a large number of breweries with "3.2 per 100,000 residents — more than double the number in the average city (1.3 per 100,000)," the survey said. But the city also has a large bar scene with 38 bars per 100,000 residents. 

Here's another city where you can more bang for your buck. "The average price of a beer in Cincinnati is just $4.15 — compared to $4.78 in other cities we ranked," the survey said. "Cincinnati has no shortage of spots to grab a brew, with 24 bars per 100,000 residents — 24% more than the average city we examined (19 per 100,000)."

For anyone who wants to keep the party going, Pittsburgh is your city! According to the survey, this is the best beer scene in the U.S. where you can find a good deal. "The average price for a beer is $4.40, compared to $4.78 in the typical city. In fact, buying one domestic beer each night would cost the average resident just 2.3% of their annual income — cheaper than 47 of the 50 cities," the survey ranked.